Pokémon: Masters of Retribution
by yingyang90
Summary: It never ends. Over and over again the Team Rocket Trio attacks and tries to steal Pikachu. Will it ever end? It's not just the Trio that's the problem but the whole system of Team Rocket. The Pokemon world would be a better place if all of them disappeared. Does Ash have what it takes? Or will he discover that all the mottos and blast offs meant something more than meets the eye?
1. Your Assistance is Requested

Author Notes:

Hello readers!

 **This story is a SEQUEL to Pokemon: The Lost Quest. BUT ** I think you can get away with reading this story just fine without going to the first story. However there will be references to the previous story, but I still think it will be fine for you to read.

While this story is a continuation, I'm hoping this story can stand on it's own to a degree.

For those who are returning and for those who are new and curious this story will go deeper into the worlds of the evil organizations. In my previous story I gave hints or a few sneak peaks of how the organizations function. The reason why I never dived into it deeper was because you were learning through Ash and his friends, with the few exceptions in the case of Meowth. But Meowth always came off like what was happening during its interactions with other teams was normal and that there usually was never a need to explain anything because it already knew what the deal was and it was always keeping Ash out of the loop. And for the most part you out of the loop as well. In this story those hints or those questionable moments shall be explored even more as you learn with Ash whats hiding behind all the mottos and blasts offs.

A side note, this story's time and place is vague...I know it will make it slightly confusing but I didn't feel like waiting to see exactly what they will be doing with the sun and moon anime. And I didn't feel like waiting to hear what would be confirmed as Ash's new Pokemon. With that said there will be Aloha region Pokemon because in Pokemon reality these Pokemon always existed, they weren't created by the Pokemon team yet but in the Pokemon universe they always existed, the main cast just hasn't discovered them yet...so you could say this happens after sun and moon, during or just before. Again I know not having a set timing of when this story takes place will be confusing...if anything please consider that this story is on its own timeline.

Chapter 1: Your Assistance is Requested

* * *

It was always the same. Every time when Ash and Pikachu would find something extraordinary about the local Pokémon or discover something special about a town they were in, Team Rocket was always there to ruin everything. This time Ash stumbled upon an oasis within the mountains that was the home to a group of Clefairy and Carbink. A Pokémon breeder, Amala, was caring for them. She explained how she too stumbled upon them when she was on her journey. She grew such a strong connection with them that she stopped her journey and moved into a town nearby so she could come and visit everyday. The Pokémon loved this area because they liked how all the pretty gems like rubies, sapphires and much more would sparkle.

Ash and Pikachu were eating some snacks at Amala's place when a Clefairy came running in franticly trying to get her to follow it. Pikachu talked to it and after having their conversation, Pikachu turned to the humans trying to imitate what Clefairy was saying. They played a mini game of charades and were able to eventually figure out that someone was disturbing their home. They ran quickly to the oasis to find out it was Team Rocket stealing the gems that were precious to the Clefairy and Carbink. The Pokémon watched in horror as Jessie and James were up in the hot air balloon while Meowth was handling the bags filled with gems and placing them on a pulley so the two could pull each bag up.

Team Rocket recited their motto like always and an intense battle followed right after. Amala called out her Fearow and it sliced through the hot air balloon causing it to lose its air and spin out of control. All the bags filled with gems fell out of Team Rocket's grasp as the hot air balloon with the two agents were sent blasting off again. This resulted in leaving Meowth behind but while everyone was distracted by catching all the falling bags, Meowth was lucky enough to retrieve one but was unfortunately to close to the river's edge and fell into the raging rapids. Meowth held onto the bag of goods tightly as it was dragged underwater.

The violent splash gained everyone's attention as they saw the scratch cat Pokémon disappear into the depths of the fast moving water.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu hollered to Ash, trying its best to explain that Meowth had one of the bags. Ash followed the river in hot pursuit with every intention to get those gems back as well as to save Meowth from drowning. The river took him out of the oasis and was stopped by Pikachu.

"Pika Pi!" It pointed to wet paw prints getting out of the water as well as a trail of gems to follow through some very tall grass leading them up a hill.

* * *

Meowth was running very fast with the bag filled with priceless gems. Running through the tall grass of the green forest, it went up the hill then down its other side. At the very bottom of the hill was a white van that had the front passenger window open for it to jump in. As it made it safely into the van, Meowth was greeted by his friends smiling happily as James stepped on the gas to drive off.

* * *

Ash was running fast through the forest as he followed the trail of gems all the way down to where he discovered the tire tracks and up ahead he saw the white van driving off.

"Grr…" He scowled and continued his hot pursuit. They had a good head start as Ash chased the van all the way into the town Amala lived in. The van parked itself on a large metal circle that was in front of a residential home. It suddenly started to go down. As the ground was beginning to close its access, Ash barely makes it as he jumps in landing on the roof of the van.

It was dark and Ash had no idea where he was as he felt the circular elevator stop. As it did so all the bright lights went on revealing thousands of Team Rocket grunts.

"Welcome to our hideout, twerp." Jessie said snidely as the trio exited the van.

With in seconds the grunts closed in on him grabbing him and taking away Pikachu by placing it into a glass case that protected everyone from its thunderbolt attacks.

"GIVE ME BACK MY PIKACHU!" He shouted.

"PIKA PI!"

"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!" The trio laughed villainously.

"Your Pokémon will never see the light of day again twerp!" Meowth said viciously. Ash was about to make a vicious rebuttal himself but then suddenly everything went dark.

* * *

Ash woke up and noticed that all of his Pokémon were gone. He realized he wasn't alone and was in someone's home as he noticed a mysterious black haired young man with green eyes watching him.

"Your awake…that's good." The young man spoke up. Ash then took notice of his outfit and he was wearing the Team Rocket grunt uniform.

"Team Rocket! What have you done with Pikachu!? Give me back my Pokémon Right Now!"

"Calm down, I'm a friend…I want to help you."

"You do? Just who are you?"

"My name is Hitoshi, I'm actually undercover in Team Rocket right now and together with my fellow cohorts we have every intention of bringing Team Rocket to its knees. I know where they have taken your Pikachu and Pokémon."

"Take me to them now!"

"Put these on." Hitoshi handed him a grunt outfit. "You'll need to be undercover for where we are going."

* * *

Hitoshi took Ash to Celadon City. They walked into an arcade called the _'Rocket Corner'_ which had all sorts of arcade games. Hitoshi took Ash towards a back room, which had an elevator for them to go down. They went down two levels and entered a storage compartment. It was filled with thousands upon thousands of poke balls filled with Pokémon.

"This way." Hitoshi escorted Ash through one of the many aisles and eventually led him to where his Pokémon were stored.

"Where are they holding Pikachu?" Hitoshi pointed to one of the poke balls and Ash immediately released it.

"Pika-chuuu." It said sorrowfully then looked up to see Ash's bright smile.

"Pika Pi!" It leaped into his arms.

"Pikachu! I'm so glad! Your safe now…all of you are safe now." He wept as he hugged his friend tightly.

"We must hurry out of here. Wrap Pikachu in this." He handed Ash a small sack. "If we run into anyone they will grow suspicious, its just till we exit out of the game store."

"But what about the rest of the Pokémon here? We can't just leave them."

"Your right but if we were to free all these Pokémon now then all they would do is find more to replace the ones they lost. Team Rocket needs to be eradicated but in order to do that we must weaken them from within." He proceeded to escort Ash out while Pikachu snuggled closely within Ash's arms while the small sack protected it from unwanted attention. They were going to take the elevator up but as the elevator reached their floor, it was filled with a few other grunts. They got in but the elevator took them down a few more levels. As they reached the bottom everyone left the elevator.

"Where are they all going?" Ash asked while Pikachu peeked out of the sack to see. "Pika?"

"There's an auction going on today."

"An auction for what?" Hitoshi leads him to a room that needed an access card to get in which Hitoshi happened to have. They walked in and Hitoshi said it was safe for Pikachu to be out as they were looking down from a catwalk, as the auction was about to start. The stage was a circle with chairs surrounding it and it was a full house.

"The auction will now commence." A male announcer said. A few Rocket grunts came out with caged up Pokémon of all kinds. It was horrible as Ash watched the Pokémon being sold off to the highest bidder.

"This happens everywhere." Hitoshi began.

"In every region by every team…they all do this to the Pokémon that we share this earth with. The Pokémon suffer because of them and Team Rocket is one of the biggest perpetrators...I have a request for you Ash." Ash turned to him.

"I'm aware that you had your fair share of run ins with Team Rocket and I'm sure you would like it to all stop. Join me Ash and together we can take down Team Rocket once and for all."


	2. Yumiko

Author Notes:

Yumiko:

Oh how I've been waiting for her introduction day. I was very close on introducing her in the last few chapters in the previous story but decided against it since her role would not have been fleshed out till this story anyways. My inspiration for her is somewhat stereotypical, when I imagine her she is a tall pale woman with long black hair and always wears kimonos. So in a way she is like a geshia/miko/witch all wrapped into one. Yumiko's location is on Route 8 between Saffron City and Lavender Town.

Cutiefly:

Thank god for Cutiefly. I loved this little guy the minute it was introduced. Originally I was going to have to create my own but then they showed us Cutiefly which saved me from actually having to be super creative. I wanted something small and cute to always flutter about with Yumiko and that it would follow Meowth on occasions. My characterizations for Cutiefly are strongly based off of Woodstock from the Peanuts Gang cause whenever I imagine it fluttering carelessly I imagine it being loopy like Woodstock.

Now to address the Donphan in the fanfiction. The fancy bottle, cider, the odd smoke or whatever else that is in this chapter and future chapters to come is my way of making it kid friendly. You can put your own imaginations to what it all is. I want to keep this story PG because the show itself is G/PG. While I am in the same boat of most first and second gen. about making Pokemon more mature or having it grow up with its audience, Pokemon is what it is and making characters swear (I swear more than a sailor btw) or do something that's not kid friendly always took me out of the story because when I read a fanfic, I try to picture it in the show. I can picture them drinking something and become stupid but the drinks are implied when shown so it goes over kids head. Which is what I'm trying to do here. Its not easy writing it in a story since you don't have the visual to kiddy it up for you but that is my intention. My philosophy is pretty much on the same level as Don Bluth and C.S Lewis when it comes to works for kids and that is my goal with this story as a whole.

If the website allows me to give a little more detail without having to raise the rating I will but for now this is how it will be.

Tori- is the red gate you see near temples etc.

Chapter 2: Yumiko

* * *

Team Rocket was walking along a dirt path humming happy tunes. After thousands upon thousands of failed attempts they finally did it. They finally captured the twerp's Pikachu and all of his Pokémon that he had on hand. It couldn't have happened at a better time with their evaluation right around the corner. Obviously an occasion like this requires a big celebration. During her training days before she was partnered up with James and Meowth, Jessie became really good friends with a field agent and was also the reason why she officially decided to join Team Rocket. After she became good friends with James, the three humans eventually really clicked and would always party whenever they could get a chance. Meowth never really hung out with them that much during their training days for it was still getting used to having to work side by side with humans.

Being a Rocketeer, Meowth was already a field agent doing its own missions for the team as a whole. During that time who ever its Rusui was usually was nonexistent. Meowth never really got to know that person like the way he got to know Jessie and James. It was one of the best Rocketeers that Team Rocket has ever seen with potential to grow even more but after it failed to do a mission its rise to glory quickly diminished. Meowth begged the boss to let it become a field agent once again and after sometime Giovanni assigned Jessie and James as its new Rusui. This time however things were different, wherever they went it went. All missions were done as a team, if it had to do some collecting or a simple errand one of them had to be with it all times. It was really rough the first few months with them. It hated them so much for all of their stupid antics but eventually they grew on him and he couldn't imagine a life without them. They were given strict guidelines but even from the beginning Jessie and James never really followed through and always gave Meowth its space. Mostly so they could have sometime to themselves doing who knows what humans do. But to sum it all up they were never themselves in the morning.

"I can't wait to open this!" Jessie exclaimed as she was holding a very expensive bottle that had an elegant label written on it.

"And I can't wait to add that bottle cap to my collection." Meowth rolled its eyes but couldn't help but smile. Everything was back to the way they were but were even better after finally winning against the twerp. It was like that whole event in Kalos was nothing more than a dream and that's how it wanted to keep it. Never again will he be separated and as for Team Blade they could go choke on poison powder for all he cared.

* * *

They made their way off the dirt path and into the dark forest to come upon a large Asian style mansion that was surrounded by large walls. It was like Shinto shrine hidden in the woods. They walked through the red tori as the wind blew against the few wind chimes to ring their soft voices as the sound of a fountain trickled near the entrance and every so often the bamboo would make soft taps that would echo throughout the vicinity as it was filled with the never ending flow of water. They walked inside the house and went to the room that was further in the back that had an empty backyard attached to it. Jessie placed the bottle on the table and they all sat down on the surrounding zabuton. With in a matter of seconds a small yellow ball of fluff latched onto Meowth's koban.

"Cuuuu!" It squealed.

"Jessie! James!" A tall charismatic woman with long black hair entered the room and was wearing a long black kimono with red roses in the design. She was wearing it quit carelessly as the kimono was loosely fitted and her shoulders were bare.

"Yumiko!" They greeted happily.

"Cuuuu!" The Cutiefly circled around the room happily due to all the cheerfulness in the room.

* * *

It wasn't even fifteen minutes and the bottle that Jessie brought with them was already empty. It shocked Meowth that something in this world could make those two dumber as he watched Yumkio constantly filling their cups.

"Drink, Drink and be Merry! Cheers to your big success!" Yumiko was so happy and carefree. They ate a feast of all sorts of good foods and dessert was even better with all sorts of cakes and brownies. They sang songs together and Meowth was even able to try a sip of one of their drinks but quickly regretted it once the bitter taste entered its mouth.

"Good! Now don't ever ask again!" Jessie quickly chastised then returned to the happy fool she was before. Meowth was given some very special puffs that must have contained catnip because he was instantly hooked and found his happy place. They were all laughing, telling jokes and catching up with an old friend.

* * *

Yumiko was really nice but weird; every so often she would give Meowth an odd look that gave it the creeps.

"So your evaluation is coming up?" She asked in the middle of their cheery evening.

"Yeah, but we're sure to pass it. Finally beating the twerp and the Team Rocket Founder's Day right around the corner is not a bad way to start off the New Year." Jessie said cheerily.

"You got that right Jessie!" James exclaimed.

" _Founder's day festival."_ Meowth thought dreadfully since that would be the day it would have to participate in that stupid play.

"I have a fabulous idea. Since you two need some time to prepare, why don't you leave Meowth with me for the next few days so you can blast that test away?"

"That's a great idea!" Jessie exclaimed.

"WHAT!?" Meowth quickly snapped out of his happy place.

"Oh don't worry we'll have loads of fun!" Yumiko stated while Jessie and James continued to party.

* * *

"Good Luck you two!" Yumiko waved happily as they watched the two agents head back to headquarters. She then turned her attention to Meowth and stared at it for a moment, which only gave Meowth the creeps. She lead it to the room that they partied in which was a complete mess. The shoji doors were damaged and there was food and spills of all sorts everywhere. A bucket with a wet rag was dropped right in front of Meowth.

"Have fun!" She hummed a happy tune and left Meowth alone.

"Wha…what?" Meowth was baffled to say the least and turned to the mess at hand. _"Is she serious?"_

"Cuuuu!" Cutiefly latched itself onto its koban.

"Hey," Meowth said, "Would you get off?" Cutiefly responded by snuggling against its koban.

"Cuu!" It squeaked. Meowth sighed.

* * *

It took a few hours but the room was spotless, Yumiko came in and gave it the tools to fix the ripped shoji doors and the cracks in the floors. As Meowth did the slave work that was forced about it, Yumiko stayed in the room and lit something that created an odd smell.

"Do you like being with Jessie and James?" Meowth stopped what it was doing to look at her. "Do they make you happy?"

"Yes." Meowth answered sheepishly unsure where she was going with this. She then sprawled on the floor as if she were a Meowth trapped in a human's body. Stretching slightly in her black kimono as a few strands of black hair fell into her face. She used one of the zabutons as a soft cushion with her hand propping her head up as she continued to watch Meowth work.

"What did they tell you about me?"

"That you're an agent for Team Rocket."

"I see...after your done with this you could move on with washing all the floors in the house. See isn't this fun!?" She asked whimsically as Meowth stared at her bewildered.

* * *

Like she requested Meowth did just that. It was nearing nightfall and Meowth couldn't go on anymore as it past out. So Yumiko left some rice balls for it to eat later. The next day she had it reorganize her study room by placing all the books in some ridiculous order and then once it was almost done she told it to start over because she thought of a better way to do it. Later she took it into a room that was connected to the study. The room had a large cauldron in the center and shelves filled with odd trinkets, potions and other items and told Meowth to organize them as well. Then she told it to get inside the cauldron to scrub it clean. It was quite dusty and due to all the moving the items around caused the floor to get dirty. So poor Meowth had to clean the floor again. It was scrubbing away while Yumiko lounged about watching it as the strange smoky smell continued in her presence.

"I heard that you had quite the adventure in Kalos." She stated causing Meowth to stop what it was doing. "Milo is certainly one of Team Solaris finest agents, wouldn't you agree? And that Team Blade, they certainly have started quite the commotion attacking Team Oyama. It's like they knew that Team Oyama has connections throughout the world."

"What are you saying? You think Team Oyama has a spy?"

"Maybe but having assumptions and being arrogant to the situation only blinds us to the truth." She stated calmly, she then eyed it carefully as if she were about to say something. She pointed to the ground.

"You missed a spot." She said causally causing Meowth to anime fall. Meowth picked itself up as it growled in frustration due to this insufferable woman.

* * *

It was like this for the next few days, her forcing it to clean and do all sorts of slave labor. A phone rang for Yumiko's attention; she jotted down some notes then went into the room with the caldron.

"Hmm, I don't have any left." As if a light bulb went off she went outside to Meowth who was scrubbing the outside patio wood flooring.

"Stop what your doing." She declared.

"I need you to find these two ingredients for me. Their both in the meadow that's just outside of Saffron City." Happy to hear that it could take a break, Meowth was more than willing to do so.

"Better hurry up now, I need you to rearrange the storage unit when you get back." She hollered playfully to which Meowth slumped in total defeat.

 _"What a slave driver!"_

"Cu, Cu, Cuu." Cutiefly fluttered behind Meowth and landed gently on the tip of its ear.

"You're coming with me?"

"Cuuu!"

* * *

Cutiefly fluttered about the flowers while Meowth picked up the necessary ingredients. They walked back while Cutiefly snuggled against the warmth of its koban.

"I'm back!" He yelled as he walked towards the room where the cauldron was located. She was mixing something only to stop to take the ingredients from him.

"What are you doing?" She didn't answer his question.

Instead she responded, "Thank you now hurry along that storage unit isn't going to clean itself."

" _I'm starting to think she just wanted a maid for the next few days."_

* * *

"Meowth, have you ever thought about leaving Team Rocket?" Meowth stopped scrubbing the hallway floor to look up at her curiously.

"Of course not, why?"

"No reason. Jessie and James don't remember anything about being captured by Team Blade do they? What happened once you rejoined them?" Meowth thought back to that day.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

It surprised them as it jumped onto James's lap and hugged him, crying tears of joy into his chest.

"I'm so glad! I'm so glad to see you guys!" The two looked at each other puzzled by the sudden out burst but decided to go along with it as Jessie and James closed in on each other so they were all embracing each other in one big group hug.

"Wobbuffet!" It exclaimed as it broke in between them causing Meowth to be seated on top of its head.

"Inkay!" "Gourg!" The two other team members joined in. At last! They're together again.

"Mamoru, over here!" Jessie exclaimed as someone got her attention. Meowth quickly looked up to see violet eyes adorning the young man's fair skin.

"This is the one we were telling you about." Mamoru eyed Meowth calmly then smiled a very friendly smile but somehow retained a cold air about him.

"The infamous trio is together again, I see. You were a real big help for someone so small." The good feeling of being reunited vanished instantly at that remark.

"Yo, Mamoru!" Diggory hollered as Team Rocket watch him along with Anthony and Piper make their way towards Mamoru.

"Diggory, it's been a while."

"He, it sure has. Lets go hang out over by the cider bar."

"Sorry but not today, I have some other matters to attend to."

"Will we see you at home?" Anthony asked.

"Don't wait up for me, Father." With that said he walked down to the docks and called out his Flygon.

"Mamoru!" Meowth came running down towards him. "Tell me the truth, they were here all this time even when we first met, weren't they?"

"How else would I have been able to make perfect silhouettes?" He spoke emotionlessly. Meowth glared at him for being so cold.

"They don't remember anything." Mamoru spoke up, preventing Meowth from yelling at him for not even trying to reunite them earlier.

"Team Blade was holding them captive but all they remember is that Giovanni told them to obtain the data from Lysandre Labs." It may have been the cold air but Meowth felt a chill as it felt a strange sensation as the young man spoke. Mamoru hopped onto Flygon then looked to Meowth once more.

"I wasn't lying about you being a big help. Keep your wits about you…your going to need it." Before Meowth could respond he flew off.

Meowth walked back up with the intentions of rejoining them. He watched them from afar as they were in total bliss drinking their favorite drinks and eating all sorts of fried foods. Meowth didn't know what to think, here they are on vacation oblivious to what has happened while Meowth was out searching for them and being chased by mysterious black figured men that are now known to be Team Blade. It felt a cold chill again; it raised its arms to cross them over his chest as he looked to one of the hot springs forlornly.

 _"This feeling…"_

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

"Hmm, I see. Did Anthony or Piper say anything after that?"

"No…they stopped talking to me after we docked. They were interested in reconnecting with Team Rocket but they didn't really talk to Jessie or James. Some of the Hyoga agents got along with them just fine and Jessie couldn't stop yapping about Mamoru but nothing really came about it. It was like they dropped me off and that was it."

"Hmm, Hmm." She giggled slightly, "I wouldn't take it personally, the bonds between Team Oyama and Team Rocket have faltered over the years. They wish to reconnect but are shy about it just like a rock type."

"Why? I've worked with them just fine and back here in Kanto we always had mutual agreements on what should be accomplished together."

"Working together doesn't come easily as one might think. Like Pokémon we humans also have our complications." She answered only leaving Meowth confused. The phone rang leaving Meowth alone to continue scrubbing.

* * *

"I need you to collect something for me that is out in the forest." Yumiko said as she came back. She gave it the list of what was needed and Meowth along with its new friend Cutiefly went out to gather what was needed. They came back into the potion room and watched her do her thing.

"What are you doing?" He asked hoping to get a solid answer this time.

"Since I like you so much, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not an agent for Team Rocket anymore."

"What?"

"I take in orders from all around the world to make medicines, tools, or anything that an agent would need in order to be successful in their mission."

"You make things for other teams? But how can you betray Team Rocket like that?"

"I make more money this way. You and I are a lot a like we belong to no one. We are free to do what we what to do when we want to do it."

"Yeah, but I would never work for another team without Team Rocket benefiting from it."

"You helped the Oyamas. What did Team Rocket gain from that?"

"But that's only because they forced my position and Anthony said they would help me with my search in return."

"What about Team Solaris? You helped return Milo's mask along with saving Vosche Town. Team Rocket didn't gain anything from that."

"How do you know about that?"

"Being connected to many teams has its advantages." She answered coolly. "While you were out, your friends called saying they passed their evaluation. It sounds like there will be a new agent going your team."

"A new agent?"

"They're on their way to Saffron City now. Why don't you meet up with them there?" She suggested and with that Meowth was more than eager to leave. "Hold on Rocketeer." Meowth stopped and turned to see her.

"I would appreciate it if you kept my little secret to yourself." She said in a slightly more serious tone than usual. She then winked at Meowth for it to continue on its way.

"Cu, Cu." Cutiefly said.

"Bye!"

* * *

Meowth ran into Saffron City and it wasn't long till it spotted them.

"Jessie! James!" It moved in closer to see that an unfamiliar face accompanied them. Unlike Jessie and James the young man with dark blue hair was wearing the usual black grunt outfit and the gatsby hat that comes with it.

"Oh Meowth, we were going to come get you." James stated.

"Yumiko suggested I come here instead."

"Meowth, meet our newest member to the team." Jessie said. The young man removed his black shades to reveal his brown eyes that adorned his young face.

"I've been told so much about you, Meowth. My name is Ryuu."


	3. A Gang of Juniors

Author Notes:

Drill Sergeant Viper is a character that was introduced in the Pokemon Chronicles show. He was the one who trained our beloved trio. I have spoken of my hatred for that episode often and it may come off as odd why I'm bringing a character from an episode I despise into the fold. Well to put it simply, this story is to expand on what we know about the organizations like Team Rocket. I liked the concept of them showing us how they trained recruits but hated the fact that they destroyed any and all continuity from the previous seasons. (I know Pokemon and continuity don't mix so I digress.) I don't like what it suggests overall but I do see a place for it on my own timeline of events but the reveal for that will be for another day.

I normally won't do this. But sometimes putting a suffix like Chan or Kun etc. carries more weight to get the point across...in this case its cuteness.

Toto Federation: The word "Toto" spoken in Japanese means cabal.

Chapter 3: A Gang of Juniors

* * *

"Wahhh!"

 *****Crash*****

"Ehhhh!"

 *****Rumbles*****

"Ahhh!"

 *****Crash*****

"Now that's just pathetic." Drill Sergeant Viper mumbled to himself as he watched one of his newest trainees fall into every single trap.

"Come on Ashwin! Pick up the pace!" He ordered while some of the other trainees watched amusingly.

Desperately trying to get out of the hole he just fell into, Ash was starting to regret on wanting to help Hitoshi. It all went downhill the minute he enter the classroom on the first day.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

"Welcome to your first day of Junior Training. You are in this class to sharpen your skills. When you're old enough or happen to have extraordinary skills that we can no longer ignore you may move up in the ranks. At Junior level you only just started your path with many roads to choose from. Some of you may wish to become scientists while others wish to become field agents. Now please stand up and state your name and what your current prospects are in regards to Team Rocket." Viper said. Ash didn't even bother to try to listen to what his fellow classmates had to say. They were all the same in his book.

"Nicholas is the name!" A round red headed boy stood up proudly. "I'm going to become one of the greatest dragon tamers in all of the world and one of the finest elite operatives that Team Rocket has ever seen. I will be so amazing that I will even surpass Miyamoto."

Ash was told by Hitoshi that it was all right to have Pikachu by his side but was advised to keep it within the dormitories till it was time to have Pokémon out during class.

"My name is Erin." A short petite girl stood up next. Pushing her circular eyeglasses up the bridge of her nose as the bangs of her moss green hair in the shape of a bowl framed her face.

"I wish to become a scientist…no wait…that's not it!" She was obviously nervous.

"I want to study ghosts. I just love ghosts, their so mysterious I just want to learn everything about them!" She gasped for air as if saying her piece drained all of her energy as she sat back down.

"Ha, Ha." A darker skinned boy chuckled.

"You're too cute, Erin-chan." He spoke softly but enough for her to hear to which she blushed profusely.

"It's Jeanne." A girl with braided pink hair stood tall in her tight leather skirt with black fish nets covering the rest of her legs and a black tank top if one wants to call it a tank top covered her chest and nothing else.

"And do you have any dreams or goals you would like to share?"

"No, not really." She answered nonchalantly.

Ash wasn't paying any attention as each one addressed his or her name. He didn't care; the only reason why he is doing this is to save all of those poor Pokémon. He loves Pokémon and watching them be sold off like that was awful. Hitoshi told him that he works for the Toto Federation and is undercover on their behalf. Their goals was not just to stop Team Rocket but end it once and for all. He liked the sound of that; no more will the annoying trio stalk him and try to steal Pikachu. No more will Team Rocket ever hurt another Pokémon again.

Somehow, Hitoshi was able to pull the right strings to get him into the Junior Training class. He also told him that all he had to do was be himself but it wouldn't hurt to be discreet. Ash had to play the part as someone who was truly invested in joining Team Rocket and while truthfully he despised the organization, his current character does not. So in other words he can be himself but without any sense of morals.

"My name is Kenji."

" _I want to sell Pokémon to the highest bidder like it was some antique doll."_ Ash answered for him as the images of all of those poor mistreated Pokémon at the auction were still engrained in his memories.

"I wish to become a Rusui for one of the Rocketeers." The boy stated causing Ash to snap his attention towards the dark brown skin boy with black hair tightly braided.

"Very good." Viper said then looked to Ash for he was next.

Ash stood up to speak, "My name is Ash Ke…min." He stopped himself and mumbled the last part of his name, as the thought of using his real name may not be such a good idea.

"Did you say Ashwin?"

"Uh…yes! My name is Ashwin and I want to be a Pokémon master." He mentally slapped himself thinking that's not what their looking for in future crooks.

"Hmm, well if you're truly capable of doing so I'm sure Team Rocket could help you get there." Ash looked to the Drill Sergeant and around the room, they accepted that? He looked around the room some more and noticed no one seemed to care.

 _"This might not be so bad."_

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

" _This is bad! This is bad!"_ He thought as he continued to struggle himself up out of the hole in the ground.

"Need a hand." Kenji offered. Ash looked up and gratefully accepted his help.

"Thanks!"

"Parakalo." He said.

"What?"

"He, He, it's how you say 'you're welcome' where I'm from." He then pointed forward.

"You see how the dirt is uneven, that's how you know where there's a hole. And if you tilt your head just right you can see the sun graciously showing you the trip wires." He explained as he tilted Ash's head to see the shining silver lining.

"Ohhh." Ash said amazingly, with more confidence he continued where he left off only to fall into another hole.

"Gah!"

 *****Crash*****

" _Uuuuhhh…I give up!"_ He whined in pain.

* * *

"Ashwin!" The Drill Sergeant yelled as he slammed his pointer to the picture that was displayed in the front of the classroom.

"How many Pokémon do you see?" Ash looked to the picture and was confused by the question. The picture was just a bunch of crazy lines, what Pokémon?

"I don't see anything." He stated causing some in the room to snicker. "Am I missing something?"

"Ashwin, I'm starting to think your not taking any of this training seriously. Could someone please give me the correct answer?"

"Yes sir." Kenji stood up, "The answer is 7."

"Thank you Kenji."

"Wait how is there 7? There's no Pokémon it's just a bunch of lines close together."

"I knew there was something off about you." Viper declared as everyone narrowed in on him causing Ash to flinch.

 _"Uh-Oh."_

"What's the matter with you? You look like a Stantler caught in the headlights. We've had plenty of recruits joining Team Rocket with your background." He then looked to the clock.

"Alright, you're all to continue your individual training sessions by using our facilities for the rest of the day." The class got up to walk out.

"Hold it right there Ashwin!" He demanded, Ash turned around nervously but was surprised to be handed a large packet. "You have till tomorrow morning to complete it. If you can't do that than don't bother coming back."

* * *

"Hey Ashwin would you like to join us? We're all going to the Raman stand." Kenji asked. "Ashwin? Hey I'm talking too you. Ashwin?"

"Huh oh yeah that's me. Sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"Would you like to join us?"

"No that's alright."

"Come on there's no need to be shy. We're all in this together after all." He said warmly and was able to push a reluctant Ash along.

* * *

As they were all waiting for their bowls of Raman, Ash couldn't help but feel his personal space being invaded. He turned to see a rounder pale face staring closely at him.

"So this is what a xenos looks like." He confirmed.

"Nicholas!" Kenji chastised.

"But it explains why he sucks at everything." He retorted causing Ash to glare at him. "How do xenos function anyway?"

"He can't be all bad. I mean xenos are always uptight about everything so maybe he's not as uptight like the rest of them." The girl with pink braids stated.

"Whatever a xenos will always be a xenos."

"Would you quit calling me that!?" Ash snapped. "Just what is it supposed to mean anyway?"

"It means outsider." Kenji answered, "It means you don't have any ties with Team Rocket or any other organization. You see we all either have family members that are connected or grew up in towns that are funded by Team Rocket. For instance I'm."

"Kenji don't tell him that!" Nicholas intervened. "I don't know what it is but there's something about him that I don't like."

"So Ashwin," The green haired girl interrupted the high tension that was growing.

 _"What was her name again?"_ Ash thought as he turned his attention to her.

"Why is it that you want to become a Pokémon master?"

"Well it's been my dream as long as I can remember. I love Pokémon. I want to be their friend, to help them to become stronger and I want to learn everything I can about them."

"I feel the same way Ashwin." Kenji spoke up causing Ash to look at him. "It's one of the reasons why I wish to become a Rusui."

"What is that exactly?"

"Oh yeah you wouldn't know anything about that would you. We have some very special Pokémon that are called Pokéteers. In Team Rocket we call them Rocketeers since they are under Team Rocket's protection. They're free spirited Pokémon that don't belong to anyone. They do missions for Team Rocket because they want to. It's amazing if you truly think about it. A Rusui is someone who is assigned to be a Rocketeer's caretaker and to help them when they are in need. It's the Rusui's job to make sure it is safe and is able to preform the mission at hand successfully."

"What kind of missions? Wouldn't they be helping you on your missions?" Ash asked as a certain scratch cat came to mind.

"Well it all depends on that Rocketeer. Some just collect berries, herbs or other items while others deliver tools to agents. Some are assigned to guard restricted areas while others are assigned to do missions that require the swiftness that only a Pokémon would have." Ash nodded as he was slowly starting to understand the odd practice.

"Its unfortunate though," Kenji continued, "Ever since Giovanni took over we don't have a lot of Rocketeers left."

"That's not entirely his fault." The short green haired girl interjected, "I understand where he's coming from. Rocketeers are a wasted investment and there have been many instances where the Rusui would capture it for themselves."

"But then they should be more selective on who should qualify as a Rusui. I mean a Rocketeer is a great resource compared to other Pokémon, Erin."

"Ah Jeanne, they already have enough protocols in place. Do you even know how hard it is to even be considered? It may be a low rank but it's the hardest one to get, it's even harder than becoming a field agent. Team Rocket is behind the times compared to other teams like Team Flare, it's an old practice that should have ended long ago."

"I'm confused again. What's so different about a Rocketeer compared to any other Pokémon?"

"It's a Pokémon with unlimited possibilities." Kenji answered. "They're wild by nature, filled with the wisdom and strength of our heavenly skies. They're not bound to anyone; they don't have to do anything that we ask of them. We could ask them to do some of the most grueling work or some mundane task and they would do it willingly. They don't have to, they're not forced to but they do it, they do it even if the door is wide open for them to leave at anytime. It's a Pokémon that truly wants to help you with all the love and light in its heart."

"Don't forget they are some of the toughest to beat in battle." Nicholas added.

"Really? Then how do you become a Rusui?"

"Well ever since Giovanni became the head of Team Rocket the amount of Rocketeers have decreased significantly. It maybe a wasted investment but he can't deny the value of a Rocketeer. He has changed the ways on how we scout for potential Pokémon and the training that hones its skills have increased intensely. If the Pokémon can't pass any of the tests given then it would automatically be disqualified. A lot of Team Rocket investors are always looking to buy one so if a potential Rocketeer made it through most of the training but couldn't meet Giovanni's expectations he would then sell it to the highest bidder. As for the ones that do make the cut and you wish to become a Rusui, then you must complete a few challenges. If you want a particular Rocketeer and it already has a Rusui then you must battle the current Rusui for it. There are other qualifications that come into play but at the end of the day it all depends on what Giovanni wants and in some regards the Rocketeer in question as well. Rocketeers are very picky when it comes to humans, they don't trust anyone and if you wish to become its Rusui then you must prove that it can turn its back on you. That it could count on you when the going gets tough. As long as you are able to showcase your inner strengths that Rocketeer will always be there for you."

"That actually sounds really cool. So if I showed it that it could depend on me it would help me become a Pokémon master."

"No, it would want to help you Ashwin." Ash couldn't contain his excitement at the thought.

"I think I might try it." He thought out loud as their bowls of Raman finally arrived.

"You see Nicholas even if we're from two different worlds we can always find common ground." Kenji stated peacefully.

"Tch! Your too naive, Kenji." He countered as they eyed the blissfully unaware outsider.

* * *

Ash was on his way back to the dorms but stops in his tracks. A tall slender young man with black hair was leaning against a wall waiting for him.

"How was it today?" He asked

"Terrible, I don't know if I'm cut out for this."

"I certainly appreciate your effort Ash…win." He winked at him as he exaggerated the "win" in his new name causing Ash to be slightly embarrassed by his lack of cunningness.

"Was there anything particular today that you need help with?"

"I have to fill out this packet or I can't come back." He handed it over for Hitoshi to look at.

"Hmm…okay don't you worry about it. I will take care of it for you. If there is anything like this in the future let me know."

"But wouldn't that be cheating? Shouldn't I fill it out myself?"

"You're here to help us gain more information. We can't afford for you to be kicked out so early."

"Well I just learned about Rocketeers and Rusui. I was thinking after I pass the Junior level I could help you out by trying to become one."

"Is that so? Personally, I find it to be a barbaric practice."

"Why?"

"It's a wild Pokémon serving humans. It's confused; a Pokémon needs proper guidance and structural support. Letting it walk around free with no guidelines that captured Pokémon have only hurts the Pokémon. Pokémon are meant to strive and work together under the care of humans."

"But that's what they're doing."

"Yes but the Pokémon don't understand. Rocketeers do illegal things on humans' behalf for false promises. They don't understand the gravity of their predicaments. If it was captured and treated like any other Pokémon it would be able to grow in a much more stable environment." He looked to Ash who had a melancholy expression.

"Sorry I didn't mean to tear you down. Just continue what you are doing. We really do appreciate all your hard work."

* * *

Ash woke up the next morning to come across the packet completed. Despite it being for Team Rocket he felt guilty for not doing it himself. He handed it in and Viper said he did okay but would like him to work on similar exercises during his free time.

Today was all about battles. Ash was excited to hear it was something that he was good at and that Pikachu could actually join him in class this time. He and Pikachu dominated everyone with their everlasting bond as best friends along with Ash's unique skills of thinking on his feet. They were then given random Pokémon to battle with to test their knowledge and quick thinking with Pokémon they never used before and again Ash was invincible.

"He's incredible!" Kenji exclaimed

"It's like...what will he do next!?" Erin added

" _Incredible indeed."_ Viper thought. _"I'm sure there's a perfect spot for you somewhere in Team Rocket."_

* * *

"Sir, here are the latest results from our training facility." Giovanni took the papers to look them over.

"Are these scores for real?" He questioned baffled by the results, "Why haven't you kicked this boy out?" He demanded.

"He's a good battler sir. He thinks outside the box and comes up with some unpredictable moves."

"Anyone could be a good battler. I need people who are capable of being well-rounded agents. I need agents who have great endurance, to be able to do whatever the mission requires of them, not some kid who falls into every trap during training."

"I agree with you sir, but I must ask you to give this boy another chance. I'm sure we could find a place for him somewhere."

"Very well Drill Sergeant Viper, it is only the Junior class after all. But out of caution I want you to do a clearance check on him. I want a clearance check on all of the trainees that you have. With Team Blade rising to challenge us, I want to make sure we don't let any crack go unnoticed for them to grow."

"Yes, Sir." The Drill Sergeant walked out of the office with Matori, Giovanni's secretary, entering the room. He swiveled his chair to look out the window in his office, as Matori was ready to write what the boss was about to say. He started petting his beloved Persian as it purred against his touch.

"Team Blade made Team Rocket look weak. What happened in Kalos is not something I want to happen again and I most certainly won't have it happen here in Kanto. To weed out any possible defectors we are going to need to make some changes."

* * *

Author Notes:

The uses of Greek words and other foreign languages: I've used words like "xenos" a lot in the previous story for reasons. From what we know the world of Pokemon uses only one language and whenever they discover ancient ruins there is ancient text that most can't read. My use of Greek and sometimes Latin is to reflect this. I'm not a linguist and I'm not creative enough to come up with my own langue so I felt that Greek/Latin due to the way its written and how it sounds would work best by carrying the weight of an old language. My treatment of using Japanese words will most of the time come off as if the characters know what it means...quite simply because their originally Japanese. So when Ash is questioning the role of "Rusui" its not that he doesn't know what it means exactly its that he doesn't understand the context of what it means in the world of Team Rocket.

Random pictures:

The picture with bunched up lines was my play on "hidden object" type games. So if your interested your next google search would be hidden pictures/games and look at the images. The lines of saying "see beyond what's in front of you" and other variations of that in the previous story plays a big part in why this is a class they take.


	4. The Start of a Rainbow

Author notes:

Zoe means life/spirit in Greek

Rocket Scope 3000...In the games there was a device called the Silph Scope well in this story there is a device called the Rocket Scope.

Team Rocket Headquarters...I am going by the most recent picture of the headquarters that we saw. In the anime from my understanding Mewtwo destroyed the "original" and headquarters is now in the mountains somewhere in the Kanto region.

Ash's usual attire...I'm sure you have taken notice from the last story I hardly ever described what the main original cast was wearing because hey you already know so it wasn't worth my time. I was going to say you could imagine your preferred style of Ash but he's most likely wearing the Kalos version. Whether this story happened before or after sun and moon his outfit in sun and moon is clearly for the beach/hot climate compared to his other outfits...which is one of the reasons I'm willing to let his missing gloves slide:( While the classic original look will always be a fan favorite I must admit I think the Kalos version along with the advanced version were the best updated outfits...but this is just my opinion.

When it comes to the junior Rocket uniforms...they're more like a grunt's uniform but with their own unique look.

This chapter is somewhat of a songfic at the end. I will explain the song and my reason of putting it in here but the song itself is not being sung by anyone. Its more like a insert song being sung in the background hinting at what is to come and to sort of give you a feel of one of the underlying tones in this story.

Chapter 4: The Start of a Rainbow

* * *

Meowth was relaxing, breathing in the clean air of the fresh green grass in the open field. Surrounded by bright white daisies, watching them sway in the wind as it laid on its back.

 *****Ring, Ring*****

"Huh?" It sat up right to see a mountain range stretching as far as the eyes can see. Further out it saw those snow covered mountains again. They were so far away they might as well be in another region. A twinkle of light appeared by those peaks and the wind started to pick up, blowing roughly against the flowers and Meowth's fur.

"Oh good your still here." A familiar feminine voice said.

"Yumiko?" Meowth looked around but saw no one.

"Would you be a dear and get me a Rocket Scope 3000 from headquarters for me?"

"What?" It breathed as a list appeared right before its eyes.

"Thank you!" She said as if it already agreed to do it. Just then the wind got even stronger as blades of grass started to scatter amongst the wind. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get going!"

* * *

Meowth woke up, seeing that it was still lying amongst the daises in the open field. It sat up right only to see the city skyline of Viridian City.

 _"So it was a dream…"_ Just then it heard the sound of a piece of paper fluttering in the wind as it looked down to its lap and saw the note with the required necessities. Within seconds the paper brightened up and started to disintegrate into ashes.

"Hey Meowth." A masculine voice spoke up. Meowth turned to see their newest member Ryuu who was looking at it with a warm smile. Meowth didn't know why but he didn't like this guy. He was nice, smart and Jessie and James were obsessed with him. Its been awhile since their adventures in Kalos but the boss declared that each team should have three agents as the minimum verses the original two. He also ordered that Rocketeers were to never leave the mainland of Kanto. It was a bit drastic for a guy like Giovanni but if Team Blade wanted to start a war with him, he wanted to have the home field advantage.

Meowth went to the boss alone and told him everything about how Team Blade separated him from Jessie and James and how it didn't recall doing a mission involving the retrieval of data from Lysandre Labs. Meowth explained that while Jessie and James claimed they were successful its not to sure how they were able to gain that information since they were indeed held captive. The boss confirmed that gaining the data from Lysandre Labs was a mission that he gave them and he told Meowth that their report included it being there as a big help. Meowth went on explaining it wasn't there at all and that Team Oyama, Team Hyoga and Team Solaris all helped him to be reunited. Giovanni listened very intently to its tale. Meowth even had the courage to ask if he would consider working with Team Oyama again.

To which Giovanni scoffed at. "They're just a bunch of cave dwellers." He said, "However, this Team Blade sounds interesting but if they honestly think they can turn everyone against me that's ridiculous."

"But..." Meowth tried to speak up but the boss silenced it. "You've done your part just fine Meowth. It sounds like I may have rejected you to early but this is a matter between humans not Pokémon. The important thing is we got what we needed in Kalos." He dismissed Meowth uncaringly; as far as Giovanni was concerned he wanted to hear no more of this Team Blade. They were nothing more than a small weed compared to the power of Team Rocket. Meowth left the boss's office feeling that maybe it's warning went unheard, but as time went on some changes in Team Rocket were eventually enforced.

 _"I guess he cares more about appearances."_ Meowth thought as he recalled receiving an important letter from the man himself right after their meeting. Telling it that what happened in Kalos is to remain confidential with the exception of a few top Rocket personal. Unfortunately, despite all their victories against other teams Jessie and James were not on that list.

Meowth hated the changes, they had perfect harmony just the three of them but now this guy is here. Ryuu is a much more skilled agent, in fact he's considered to be the boss's right hand man so the fact that he was placed with them made his friends' hearts soar. Meowth was unsure how he felt about it all, on one paw he really did want to forget all about Team Blade but on the other paw he felt that turning away from it all maybe a foolish thing. Jessie and James as well as most of the people in Team Rocket don't know anything and that's apparently how the boss wants it, but a few precautions were always good to have. However, this Ryuu guy is almost to perfect in every way and as it turned out he was the one who suggested to Jessie and James that they should lead the twerp into one of the many Team Rocket hideouts.

 _"And here I thought they were smart."_

"Meowth, we're going to go into town for some ice cream and I'm buying." He offered kindly as Jessie and James were to excited for words about free ice cream.

"No, I think I'll just stay here a while longer."

"What's wrong Meowth? Is it because I'm on your team now?"

" _Wow, this guy's good."_ Meowth looked up at the tall man with dark blue hair and brown eyes.

With full sincerity he said, "I know sometimes changes can be rough but we should learn to make the most of it. Giovanni is only doing what is best for everyone. So why don't we get to know each other a little better over some ice cream."

"Actually, I think I'm going to go to headquarters real quick."

"But its free ice cream." James retorted.

"I'll go with you." Ryuu stated.

"What? No! Ryuu, Meowth will be fine. Come on lets go before the day is wasted." Jessie whined.

"Yeah, go on without me. We can meet up at headquarters later." Meowth said, it really didn't want him to come and was thankful for Jessie's persistence of trying to pull their newest member along.

"We could always get ice cream later. I would feel better if someone went along with you. Lets all go to headquarters." He said and they all reluctantly agreed.

* * *

"Alright class, starting tomorrow you'll be on a short break but you better not be taking all that free time slacking off. All of you are expected to keep up with your training…and as for you Ashwin." Viper narrowed in on Ash as if he spotted weak prey. A big pile of paperwork fell onto his desk as Ash looked up nervously.

"If you can't complete it then don't bother coming back!"

* * *

Exhausted from carrying the heavy load back to his room. Ash collapsed onto his bed as Pikachu cuddled with him for a brief moment. "Well Pikachu it looks like we can go home for a while."

"Pikachu!" Ash got up and packed his things including the large pile of homework.

* * *

"Hey Ashwin." Someone hollered. "Ashwin!" Still no response. "YO ASHWIN!"

"Pika Pi." Pikachu poked Ash in the face for his attention.

"Oh that's right!" He turned to see his fellow trainees running up to him. "Sorry, I didn't hear you." He said as he played it cool.

"They just brought in a new shipment of really cool gadgets. We're all headed to headquarters right now. You should come with us." Erin offered cheerfully.

"Headquarters?"

"That's right, but you should put on your junior uniform if you want to come along." She pointed to his usual attire.

* * *

" _There's something not right about him."_ Meowth thought as he kept side glancing Ryuu as they all went back to headquarters. The man in question held a calm expression as Jessie and James couldn't hide their giddiness over the fact that one of the best field agents is now their partner from here on out. They felt like the boss was secretly telling them that they are on the same level as Ryuu. Ryuu was relaxed and each step he took was light with no demanding force. Whenever he spoke his masculine voice was soft yet captivating to everyone around him. While Jessie and James were reminiscing about all of his great accomplishments Meowth chose to remain silent in most of their conversations. Ryuu was really kind but there was something not right about him. Meowth couldn't put his paw on it but whenever he looked into Ryuu's brown eyes he felt cold. This human is kind but where is his light?

"We're here." Ryuu stated.

"I could take it from here." Meowth insisted. "You guys don't have to tag along with me anymore, really. I'm just going to stay here for a while."

"Why?" Jessie and James asked finding the feline's behavior rather odd.

"No reason…I uh…just don't feel like hanging out in the city right now that's all." It quickly tried to sound believable.

"You guys shouldn't have to miss out on free ice cream because of me. Go on, I'll catch up with you guys later." Jessie and James looked at each other for they were both slightly puzzled but decided it was best to let it go. They figured that maybe Meowth was just in one of its moods and that giving it its space was the best thing they can do right now.

"Alright." They said, as Ryuu was discreet as he observed the scratch cat calmly.

"Come on Ryuu, Meowth will be fine." James suggested as he placed a friendly hand on his new partner's shoulder.

"We'll be in Viridian City if you change your mind." Jessie told Meowth. The two started to walk off.

Ryuu turned to follow them he looked at Meowth and said, "See you later, Rocketeer."

An odd smirk embraced his features, it was in a flash but the image of Tatsuo appeared in his place, sending shivers done Meowth's spine as he watched the agent walk away with his friends. Meowth slowly raised a paw to his heart…it was beating faster than normal.

 _"I'm just seeing things…right?"_

* * *

His classmates showed him the way to the entrance of Team Rocket's underground tunnel that connects the training school to headquarters. The area was brightly lit and Ash noticed train tracks to his side as they were walking on a platform towards a small open air trolley. He noticed a few grunts here or there but there was no driver in the trolley. He sat down in one of the few rows and saw the front row's dashboard loaded with all sorts of gadgets and buttons to push.

"I suggest you hold on and to your Pikachu too." Kenji warned politely.

"Why?" Ash asked as Nicholas pushed a button.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" "PPPPIIIIIKKKKAAAA!" They screamed as the trolley unexpectedly plummeted downwards at lighting speed. Then it suddenly jerked as it stopped then started going sideways. As he was holding onto Pikachu and for his own safety everyone else seemed unnaturally calm. To Ash's horror firearms appeared out of nowhere it seemed.

"Alright!" Nicholas beamed as he grabbed his gun and took aim. As the trolley kept moving at lightening speed random monster-like targets appeared and Nicholas fired, successfully hitting his mark.

Laser guns…they're seriously playing with laser guns on this thing. Ash couldn't believe it as the group of friends were clearly having a blast on this ride.

"Come on Ashwin!" Kenji encouraged him to join in the fun.

"Ha, Ha! He can't do it! Pathetic Xenos...you're not cut out to be one of us!" Nicholas taunted him. Ash glared angrily at the red head as he tightened his grip onto Pikachu while reaching for his laser gun to join these ruffians. He saw a target, took aim and fired.

"I got it!" He cheered but then the laser guns were sucked back into their respective glove compartments as everyone sat back down. Ash was too slow to react as the trolley came to a screeching halt throwing him off balance violently. The trolley then shot straight up at top speed just like it did going down.

* * *

It was over…thankfully as Ash and Pikachu were huffing and puffing from the excitement that was forced upon them. Nicholas rushed over to see the large screen TV holding their scores.

"Yes! 257, I beat you all!" They eyed their scores as Ash took notice of his sad lonely one point.

"Not bad for beginner." Kenji complimented. "It takes a lot of practice to hold your own and to concentrate at such high speeds. A lot of people have a hard time just getting one on their first try."

"Yeah, you definitely have potential of becoming a top aide for Team Rocket." Jeanne stated coolly.

"Just think you'll become a great Pokémon master with all the power of Team Rocket by your side." Erin added cheerfully as if the ride gave her small petite self an adrenaline rush.

"Tch, whatever it was just beginner's luck." Nicholas mumbled under his breath. He walked away with everyone following his lead as Ash observed them quietly as that remark from Erin ignited a burning rage within him.

* * *

" _So this is headquarters."_ Ash gazed up at the large metal structure that had a large red "R" in the front. Pikachu huddled closer to Ash for this place obviously has some bad memories that Pikachu didn't want to relive.

"Pika-chu!" It whimpered softly, to which Ash responded by petting it gently with a warm smile. The trainees all walked in together wearing their junior uniforms that consisted of a long sleeved black shirt with a dark red sleeveless vest that had a black "R" emblem over the heart. The boys wore long black pants while the girls wear given the option to wear a sporty black skirt. The uniform came with the option of wearing a black gatsby hat with a tiny gold pin of the "R" attached. Out of all of them Ash was the only one to wear the hat. He didn't have much time to sight see the large Team Rocket base as they quickly walked into a storage room and Erin ran to the gadget she was looking for.

"Here it is! A Rocket Scope 3000!"

"Are you allowed to take that?" Ash inquired.

"Of course, I want to study ghosts and Team Rocket wants us to do our best in achieving our goals. The grueling training courses and mind stimulating classes are only part of the training. During free time we get to work on our own individual goals with the training we received. Weren't you paying attention? Drill Sargent Viper told us on the first day."

"Uh…I must have forgot." Ash admitted bashfully. It was only now he was starting to remember each of their names too.

"Our goals in life are to help strengthen Team Rocket as a whole." Kenji added. "Since you wish to become a Pokémon master then during your free time you should try to win badges from gyms."

"Team Rocket would let me do that?"

"Of course."

"But what about stealing Pokémon?"

"Well if you decide to become a field agent that would be one of many missions that would be assigned to you. But you can still continue to compete in the league. Also there's no shame in being a grunt if being a field agent sounds like too much work. You would have more free time to focus on what you feel is most important and your missions wouldn't acquire a whole lot of your time. At the end of the day if we weren't the best in what we love then we wouldn't be useful to Team Rocket." Ash listened intently; he was surprised to hear how laid-back Team Rocket was.

"Erin wishes to study ghost Pokémon because she loves the mysteries that surround them. Her love for the unknown will make her a great scientist for Team Rocket one day." He said with full admiration for the petite moss green haired girl who was starting to blush due to his praises.

"Luckily for us, being junior agents allows us to really focus on our personal goals before going up in the ranks."

"One of the courses that's coming up will teach you all about time management. So when the day comes and you wish to go higher in the ranks you can use what you learned in class on how to balance out your time for personal training." Erin added.

"Interesting." Ash replied softly.

"Next stop Lavender Town!" Erin exclaimed.

* * *

"Back so soon I see." Yumiko greeted Meowth causally. Meowth then handed her a Rocket Scope 3000.

"For me!? Oh, you shouldn't have! That's just so cute of you!" She exclaimed as she pinched its cheek and Cutiefly circled around the room happily.

"Cuuu!" It squealed before landing onto its koban.

"I've been meaning to get me one of these."

"But weren't you the one…" Meowth stopped itself halfway not sure if it should finish what it was about to say. It went unnoticed but Yumiko eyed it carefully.

"Since you're here I have a favor to ask of you." She began as she handed it a few pippin pouches. "I need you to fill up these bags with the smog from the ghost type Pokémon in the Lavender Tower. It's for a client that is staying at the Zoe Inn which is also in Lavender Town."

"Cuuu!" It snuggled closely to Meowth's koban.

"Cutiefly can go with you too. You can return to Jessie and James after that." Meowth wasn't sure why, maybe it was her charismatic nature but Meowth couldn't deny her. It would be lying if it said it didn't feel a little excited to be doing work similar to what it used to do as "top" cat.

* * *

" _Maybe I'll come back later."_ Meowth thought nervously as he looked up at the very tall tower. _"This place…it's… it's not so bad…it'll be fine. Just move forward."_ It tried to take one step closer but failed miserably. _"I…I can't do it."_

"Cuuu?" It chirped from behind.

"Scared? No…I…m…not scared." It tried to sound confident as it was visibly shaking.

"Cuu, Cu, Cu?"

"I don't mind…ghost…Pokémon that much. They scare me at times but only briefly. It's the other **…**gulp**…** in there."

"Cu, Cu, Cuu, Cu, Cu." It fluttered swiftly about as what looked like to be pollen that it collected from flowers sprinkled everywhere. Its body glowed bright yellow as well as the specs of dust. As some of the pollen landed on Meowth, he realized that it felt warm as if the warm light was clearing away its fears. Cutiefly then landed onto Meowth's koban as it snuggled closely.

"Cuuu!" It squeaked.

"Okay!"

* * *

Meowth was still very scared about being inside the dark tower. Thanks to Cutiefly's unique ability his intoxicating fear was not making him freeze in place. Meowth breathed in slowly than exhaled slowly a few times whenever it felt the jitters getting the best of him.

 _"Relax and focus on the mission. I can do this!"_ Cutiefly removed itself from his koban so Meowth could activate his flash. A little extra light also calmed his nerves.

 _ *****Creeeek*****_

An odd sound echoed through the halls. It sounded like a squeaky door but that didn't matter as Meowth started to feel his anxieties reclaim their power.

 _ *****Scratch, Scratch*****_

 _ *****Click, Clack, Click, Clack*****_

Now more sounds were being heard. He heard soft footsteps that sounded like it was coming towards him. The scratching noises sounded similar to that of someone trying to light a match. Just then, in the corner of his eyes he thought he saw a dark shadow float by. He shined his light in that direction but nothing was there; he thought he felt something cold rubbing against the back of his fur. He turned around with his flash but nothing was there. He felt dark and gloomy in here…it was growing hard to breath calmly.

 _ *****OOOUUUU*****_

A strange howl made its way, it could have been the wind but Meowth didn't want to stay any longer. He started to run.

 _ *****Creeeek***  
***Bang, Bang*****_

He can't take it anymore. It felt like dark auras were trying to capture him.

 _ *****OOOUUUU*****_

 _ *****Click, Clack, Click, Clack*****_

"Get away." He started to whimper. He ran into a dead end.

"I…I…CAN'T DO THIS! I CAN'T! I CAN'T" He screamed as the dark auras made him feel like he was trapped.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! I CAN'T DO THIS! JUST GET AWAY! GET AWAAAAAYYYYY!" He screamed profusely causing the building to shake due to the harsh sound waves he produced.

"Cuuuu!" It tried to shield itself the best it could.

* * *

"AAAAAYYYYYY"

"OWWW!" Everyone screamed in pain as an awful screech filled his or her ears. Ash and his fellow group of trainees were just outside the tower and were about to go in until the loud awful noise filled the air. It eventually stopped and everyone looked around trying to access their situation.

"What was that?" Erin questioned as everyone looked up at the tower. She suddenly got super excited as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"This is going to be better than I thought!" She squealed as she took out the new gadget. Ash observed her bewilderedly for he wasn't sure if he wanted to check it out anymore.

"Geez, nerdy Erin is at it again." Jeanne summed it up for everyone.

* * *

"AAAAAYYYYYY"

"Fur, Fur, Furfrou!" **(Don't be afraid!)** A dazzling gleam of white fur dashed its way to Meowth's side. Meowth looked up to see Furfrou of all Pokémon shining brightly with the use of its flash.

"Furor, Furfrou, Fur, Fur." **(You mustn't be afraid. They can't hurt you; now shine the light from within you.)** As much as Meowth wanted to ask what it was doing here, Meowth focused all its strength on flashing away the bitter darkness along with Furfrou.

"Fur, Fur, Furfrou." **(The ghost Pokémon are down this way.)** With Furfrou's guidance Meowth and Cutiefly were lead to where the ghost Pokémon were hiding. They looked a little irritated due to the loud commotion Meowth caused earlier. Meowth apologized profusely and was able to retrieve what it was there for in the first place. Furfrou's presence was definitely questionable but Meowth was willing to let it slide. It was thanks to Furfrou's confidence and boundless warm energy that Meowth was able to walk calmly through the tower with ease.

" _In the morning time_ _  
_ _The sun will rise_ _  
_ _And the rain will be just a memory_ _  
_ _You can smile_ _  
_ _In the warm sunlight_ _  
_ _Cause you know that your fears_ _  
_ _Have gone with the light"_

Furfrou lead them out of the tower.

"Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou." **(I think you can handle the rest from here.)** It then scurried off to which Meowth was slightly disappointed. If anything he hopes that he will one day see Furfrou again.

" _Even now_ _  
_ _The whole world seems like a brighter place_ _  
_ _Now that your tears have all gone_ _  
_ _Your eyes will sparkle like a star_ _  
_ _To guide you through the times when life is just too hard"_

* * *

Meowth hurried off to find Zoe Inn, the location that was requesting the dark haze to be dropped off. He walked through the black metal gates and knocked on the large wooden door. He heard the sounds of someone making their way to the door and as the door opened, Meowth was in for another surprise.

"Milo?"

"Well if it isn't the little hero of Vosche Town. So you're the one Yumiko told me about. Come in, Come in! I was just about to have some tea." Milo lead the Pokémon into the tearoom that also had a garden attached to it. Meowth was starting to think that maybe Milo's family really loves their tea and gardens. Meowth sat down on one of the comfy zabutons as Milo served it a lemon square. Meowth was beyond delighted to see a sweet treat that he practically forgot to ask all the questions that circulated his mind.

"Would you mind if I ask you a favor?" Milo asked politely to which Meowth looked at him questionably.

"Could you deliver this letter to the Viridian City police station? You don't have to go inside just drop it off in the mailbox that's next to it." He said as he slid a white envelope that had a sun in the shape of a star as its seal. Meowth nodded, it didn't know why but Milo's serene energy was so warm and inviting. It wanted to stay there as long as it could.

* * *

They drank their tea and had a few pieces of chocolate. All the while having a free conversation about what each of them have been doing since the last time they saw each other.

"I'm glad you found your friends but sorry to hear that Giovanni refuses to acknowledge the threat of Team Blade openly. He is the type of man that believes if he were to allow the truth about Kalos to be known that no one would respect him as the powerful leader of Team Rocket. That Team Rocket would be viewed to be weak and that maybe a new leader would be best in the eyes of Team Rocket investors and top officials. Its really unfortunate."

"Jessie and James don't know either. They believe that I was with them when they got the data from Lysandre Labs. I honestly don't know how they got it but when I found them they had already sent the data to the boss."

" _The sun may come_ _  
_ _And the sun may go_ _  
_ _There are times when you may feel alone_ _  
_ _Look inside_ _  
_ _It is there you will find_ _  
_ _All of the happiness that your life has left behind"_

"Hmm," Milo sipped his tea, "What's done is done. You're a lot stronger than you realize Meowth."

"Huh?"

"Even when the going gets tough you always find a way to pull through. That's the very essence of a true Pokéteer. Don't worry yourself too much, even when it may seem like you're out of options I'm sure our blessed skies will guide you." Meowth wasn't sure how to respond to that but as luck would have it the phone started to ring so Milo left the room.

" _A true Pokéteer?"_ It pondered over the idea as it slowly lowered its head. It didn't realize how tired it was as sleep quickly came over it.

" _Then you'll see_ _  
_ _Just how special that your life can be_ _  
_ _From now on and evermore_ _  
_ _The time for sorrow has past your by_ _  
_ _And everything you are will start to shine"_

" _Just like a rainbow_ _  
_ _Your heart and your soul_ _  
_ _Everything you know_ _  
_ _Just like a rainbow"_

"Cuu?" Cutiefly looked at Meowth who was resting its head on its arms that were on the table as if it were an exhausted human.

"Cuuu, Cu, Cu, Cu." It fluttered around the table carelessly before landing next to Meowth so it could take a nap as well.

* * *

Milo checked inside the tearoom before returning to the phone to continue his conversation with Yumiko.

"Just as you thought it's past out."

"So my theory was correct."

"You're up to something aren't you Yumiko?"

"I'm just doing my part just like you are doing yours. Team Rocket will fall due to Giovanni's arrogance. We must all contribute to preserving what's most important."

"I'm guessing you're aware of Hitoshi's movements. If my sources are correct he owns the Toto Federation and has a few agents including some high ops in Team Rocket." Yumiko remained silent as she listened to the young man with violet eyes adorning his dark olive skin. He brushed some of the strands of his medium length black hair out of his eyes before continuing.

"It's only a matter of time for Team Blade to make their move. Team Rocket already has many factions within its system due to Madam Boss's take over. It's not surprising that Hitoshi already has a hold on a few that would be willing to betray Giovanni."

"I'm sure a champion like you could handle it and unfortunately for Hitoshi I know how men like him operate." There was a pause as she stopped herself; Milo took that moment to think. As if he were able to read her mind his eyes widened to the possibility.

"You don't think!?" He gasped but then quickly regained his calm composer. "I see…it would explain their hostility towards Team Oyama."

"It's best not to assume." Yumiko spoke up.

"But being two steps ahead doesn't hurt either." The two friends continued on with their friendly chat before saying their goodbyes.

* * *

Milo walked back into the tearoom where Meowth was fast asleep; he walked past it to go outside into the garden.

"It sort of reminds me of you in the beginning. You must have taken a liking to it." He spoke genuinely as he watched Furfrou bask in the sunlight as it enjoyed the harmony in the garden.

"Fur, Fur!" It barked.

 _"Even if the rain should come  
_ _You will never be alone_ _  
_ _If you believe_ _  
_ _That you have friend in me_ _  
_ _Together we can reach up high_ _  
_ _And shine like diamonds in the sky"_

"I see." They both looked up to see the warm dusk colors in the sky and the few stars that were beginning to make their appearance as well as the moon.

"I believe in our skies too."

" _Just like a rainbow_ _  
_ _Your heart and your soul_ _  
_ _Everything you know_ _  
_ _Just like a rainbow"_

* * *

Author notes:

The extreme trolley ride was a mix of the pitt fall rides and crazy mouse roller coaster rides you would find at most amusement parks. I will get into more detail about the underground system in the very near future.

According to the description one of Cutiefly's abilities is "Shield Dust". I kind of gave it a unintentional pixie dust vibe here but its really just to show that Cutiefly is a sweet friend.

I said this before in many notes in my previous story but I feel that I must repeat myself here. Whenever I have a Pokemon use a move I feel that any list whether its the egg list or tutor list or whatever list is fair game. Both Meowth and Furfrou are capable of learning Flash and Meowth are also capable of learning the move Hyper Voice which is what happened during its little shrieking fit. I know normal type moves don't affect ghost types, hopefully I made it clear that the ghost types were more annoyed rather than hurt. I also mentioned that I don't buy into the whole "I can't learn anything because I can talk" b.s. either. No, No Meowth knows moves and it can learn them too. For a character like Meowth it is best for it to already know moves not to wait for someone stronger to teach it. Meowth is a smart character and it shouldn't be completely inept waiting for someone else to "train" it.

Side note...when I do defy Poke Physics I will most definitely make a note of that.

"Just like a Rainbow" Sung by Kumiko Mori.

This is the english version of the ending song of the Pokemon third movie. Some of the lyrics are out of order and I didn't use the whole song but the point of it was mostly to put emphasize that the universe is giving Meowth the permission to be reborn and to live a life of pure happiness instead of pain and sorrow. There's a little more to it but that would be spoiling things. While we can go into a heated debate that its already happy with Jessie and James which I will not deny that. The trio are very close friends that clearly love each other very much but they don't help each other in a sense. In other words they became each others safety net and are stuck on a plateau not willing to move forward. I could go on and on with this but I will continue this point in later chapters.


	5. A Strange Turn of Events

Author Notes:

A Major note: I will be going by the game's map of the Kanto Region that you can find on any Google search. I know that the game and anime have different settings and there are always the anime only locations but the game's map is an easy find/reference. When it comes to my own locations, I'm mostly using the anime's logic when it comes to their filler locations.

The tunnel system: In the games route 7-8 in the Kanto region had an underground path. I decided to take some fanfic liberties and expanded it as a fully functioning system that Team Rocket uses. It will be explained a little more in the story but as we got a taste of the tunnel action in the previous chapter there will be some future amusement park like rides in the future. The way I see it according to the anime the training school and new headquarters is somewhere in the mountains. It would be a great big pain having to hike back in forth if you didn't have a Pokemon that can fly. And like I said previously the ingenuity of Team Rocket shall be explored because I always felt that the big bad world of evil organizations had room to grow.

BTW: One character maybe OOC...heck they all maybe OOC for some...I'll explain down below.

Chapter 5: A Strange Turn of Events

* * *

It was getting late and the Rocket Scope 3000 was proving to be a dud much to Erin's disappointment. They couldn't find what made those loud sounds either.

"Come on Erin, its getting late." Jeanne insisted.

"You're right." She sighed gloomily, "How about we set up camp here?" She asked cheerily.

"NO WAY!" They all shouted.

"Lets head back to Route 8. We can set up camp there." Nicholas suggested.

"But we don't need to do that." Ash interjected, "There's a Pokémon center in town. We could just stay there."

"What's a Pokémon center?" Kenji asked.

"You've never heard of a Pokémon center?" Ash asked bewildered by the fact. "It's a place where they heal Pokémon and trainers get to stay overnight for free. All the services there are for free."

"There's no way I'm staying in some Silph Co. dump." Nicholas stated harshly.

"It's not a dump and Nurse Joy is really great with Pokémon." "Pika, Pika-chu!"

"Such a xenos!" Nicholas huffed under his breath.

"I would like to see this Pokémon center." Kenji spoke up.

"It would be a roof over our heads." Erin said.

"Yeah, it's better than nothing." Jeanne added.

"Although, we should probably change our clothes." Noting that they were still wearing their training uniforms.

* * *

"How is it that you've never heard of a Pokémon center?" Ash inquired.

"Well I grew up in a city that's owned by Team Rocket. This is actually my first time traveling around Kanto. After they said I was responsible enough to have my own Pokémon, Satoru and the others said it would be best to take the junior class for Team Rocket. I was so excited; thanks to Team Rocket I could finally start my journey. I've been told countless of stories about all the adventures that one could have. How there are countless of people with stories of their own. With the powers of Team Rocket by my side I can finally see the world and discover it all. Nicholas is also from a town that's owned by Team Rocket but his town specializes in dragon types so he's already seen some of the world thanks to his Salamence."

"You're too trusting of him Kenji." Nicholas said rudely. Kenji ignored his friend's criticism and continued.

"This Pokémon center…It sounds like what we would get at a Panacea back home."

"Panacea?" Ash's mind quickly took him back to the time when he met Elena.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

"Well this is a Panacea." Ash looked at her confusingly, not entirely sure what she meant by that.

"Panacea means 'all healing' twerp, it's like a Pokémon Center but they only use natural healing remedies." Meowth informed him.

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

"Oh that's right you wouldn't know. It meanings 'all healing'. We use natural supplements to heal ourselves and our Pokémon."

"Its not like all Rockets are unfamiliar with the outside world. A lot of the families connected to Team Rocket live in Viridian City, which is where I'm from." Erin stated.

"I'm from Vermillion City and I use Pokémon centers from time to time. But I must admit Panaceas are much better. My Pokémon are always a lot happier verse getting treatments from Nurse Joy." Jeanne said.

"I'm sure there's a happy medium between the two. Maybe someone could bring it all together." Erin said.

"That would be nice." Kenji concurred.

* * *

"Wow…its huge." Kenji took in the size of the Pokémon center. Watching Kenji take in his first visit to a Pokémon center was rather entertaining to Ash.

"Its so bright in here."

"Welcome to Lavender Town's Pokémon center." A Nurse Joy greeted them. "Chansey. Chansey."

"So pink…cute." Jeanne mumbled to herself. The pink braided hair girl who was now wearing her usual tight leather skirt with black fishnets covering the rest of her legs and a short, tightly fitted, black tank top started to blush profusely due to Chansey.

"He, He, Jeanne…your weakness is showing." Erin teased.

"Shut up!" She whispered as she was trying hard to retain her tough exterior. Ash couldn't help but smile as the two bickered quietly with each other.

"Do you offer tours?" Kenji asked which caught Nurse Joy off guard.

"Ha, Ha I could give you a tour." Ash offered. "Pikachu."

"Really Ashwin!?"

* * *

Ash gave Kenji the grand tour of the Pokémon center. Showing him where they would dine and where trainers gather to give tips. Kenji was very impressed and appreciative of Ash's helpful tour but couldn't help but notice the strong chemical smell from the cleaners that were used to disinfect the floors and the weird smells that came from the infirmary area. Ash never really noticed it before but suggested that their rooms should be fine.

* * *

"Wow, this whole room is ours?" Ash nodded since the boys were to share a room and the girls in another. "Its huge!"

"Now that you mention it, the dorm rooms we have are much smaller." "Pika, Pika."

"No wonder the xenos are so uptight about everything. When living a life of luxury like this I would be too." Ash growled at Nicholas's remark but Kenji stopped him from responding.

"Thank you Ashwin. I never would have thought I would be staying in a Pokémon center before. This is certainly an experience I will always remember."

* * *

It was morning and Ash took the gang down to show them the dinning area once again for breakfast.

"Wow, there's a lot of food." Kenji stated. "Do you know what's good here, Ashwin?"

"Everything!" Ash exclaimed as he was piling on loads of food onto his plate.

"Wow you sure can eat a lot." Erin stated.

"I think I'll try a little bit of everything too." Kenji followed Ash's example but was more delicate on the matter. Instead of piling on he took tiny morsels of each thing to try.

* * *

"That was nostimo." Kenji stated. "Who made all this food? Was it Nurse Joy?"

"Uh…I guess so."

"We should get going." Erin spoke up, "I need to return the Rocket Scope 3000 before I go home for the rest of our break."

* * *

They headed out but before they continued they all changed back into their training uniforms. Ash discovered on the way to Lavender Town that Team Rocket didn't just have that one tunnel connecting the school to headquarters they had multiple tunnels connecting to multiple locations throughout the Kanto region. According to the gang Team Rocket is in the process of expanding their tunnels so that they can get to Johto this way. It was like a completely different world down there. There were small boutique shops and food stalls here or there and of course there were more roller coaster rides that Ash wasn't to thrilled to go on again. Luckily, the gang was willing to opt out of the thrill ride for his sake. Telling him that the rides are always optional. As they were headed for the tunnel's entrance, they all spotted a familiar scratch cat in the distance. To which Ash franticly pushed his poor Pikachu into his backpack.

"Is that…?" Nicholas said and before they knew it he was gone as he ran to ambush it.

* * *

Meowth was minding its own business and was walking with Cutiefly who was happily nestled on its koban. Yumiko's house was situated right in the middle of Saffron City and Lavender Town. It could have taken the tunnel's entrance that was in Lavender Town but since Cutiefly has to go back to Yumiko, Meowth was more than willing to accompany it and take the tunnel's entrance that's closer to Saffron City. It then heard what sounded like a stampede coming from behind. Meowth turned around only to be bull rushed to the ground.

"Whaaa!" Meowth shook off the sudden impact as Cutiefly was fluttering about. Meowth then looked up to see a big red head staring down at him with an arrogant smirk.

"I knew it was you! Ha, Ha! It's been awhile!"

"Nicholas…oh and Kenji too?" It then noticed the rest of the gang walking up while Ash nervously pushed his gatsby hat down hoping Meowth wouldn't blow his cover. Although just seeing the scratch cat again had his feelings of dark resentment rise to surface, especially after their last run in. The boys introduced the girls and were about introduce Ash but Ash quickly intervened.

"Its Ashwin." Meowth eyed him oddly but moved on rather quickly as it was told by Kenji and Nicholas that they're all junior trainees. It seems like those two know Meowth as Ash listened to them talk to each other as if they were old acquaintances catching up.

"Oh that's right." Kenji said as he looked to Ash, "I told you I wish to become a Rusui for one of our Rocketeers. Ashwin this Meowth happens to be one."

"Oh?"

"Not just any Rocketeer!" Nicholas added smugly as he roughly petted the top of Meowth's head to which Meowth responded by batting him away.

"You sly cat you, acting all foolish with those two idiots only to find out you three out weaseled Team Flare by getting all the data from Lysandre Labs. That was the most brilliant news I've ever heard."

" _Lysandre Labs?"_ Ash thought back to what that Team Blade agent said.

 _"_ _It was sent out on its own mission to keep Team Flare distracted while its teammates and Team Oyama could steal the data from Lysandre Labs."_ He didn't really want to believe him but then he went on how it always did missions like that. Then he brought up Unova…

 _"So you were lying!"_

"You must tell us all the details." Nicholas went on as Ash listened while his anger devoured him even more.

"What's there to tell? I was with Jessie and James in the Kalos region and we snuck into Lysandre Labs and got all the data."

" _What?"_

"Team Flare was so full in their own goals they didn't even see us slip by. They didn't even know that we were there."

" _That's a lie!"_

"All the details are in the report. You can read it anytime."

"I still can't believe that those two idiots were able to pull it off."

"You better believe it. We're the unstoppable trio and the security in Lysandre Labs was pathetic. It was like the data was begging to be stolen."

" _But you weren't there! You were with us as the distraction. Team Flare did know about you being there too."_

"Yep that's it! It was very simple nothing more nothing less."

" _You're lying!"_

"It must be true since you guys now have Ryuu on your team. I'm so envious of those idiots. He's one of the best agents in history! He's almost as good as Miyamoto and Yumiko."

"He's alright." Meowth mumbled.

"Speaking of Yumiko," Jeanne nervously spoke up.

"That Cutiefly?" Cutiefly fluttered in a carefree manner above Meowth's head. It stopped to look at her briefly and then started to move in closer to her.

"Cu, Cu!" It saluted to her cheerfully.

"So…Cute!" She couldn't take it anymore as she tried to hide her weakness for fairy types but was failing miserably due to her cheeks matching her pink hair.

"Oh...yes I was just doing a few errands for her and Cutiefly came with me." Kenji and Nicholas paused as they let its words sink in. They started to eye each other as if they were talking to each other telepathically.

"It's not what you think." Meowth interjected their internal conversation.

"It's just a one time thing." It cleared the air as the two boys looked at it questioningly. Nicholas was growing excited but that feeling quickly disappeared as Meowth clarified its actions. Nicholas grumbled something inaudible to the rest of the group but Meowth was able to hear that Nicholas was upset that its one time errand run was not a sign of it going back to real Rocketeer missions.

"Anyways I have to go."

"Where you headed?" Kenji asked.

"Viridian City."

"Ah, that's right the gym was just remolded. I've been wanting to see it."

"Nicholas, don't you remember? We were told to return home right after this. Satoru and the others want to have a meeting with us."

"Oh yeah…lets fly there." He suggested.

"Wait do you think you could give me a ride back to headquarters?" Erin asked. "The tunnels are great and all but flying would be faster."

"Sure!" They said.

"Well I'll be heading home." Jeanne said, "I'll be seeing you guys later."

* * *

They watched the three fly off on Nicholas's Salamence and Cutiefly decided it was best to leave as well. It waved goodbye to Meowth and fluttered swiftly into the woods.

"Meowth, do you think that maybe one day I could meet Yumiko?"

"Do you want to meet her now? Her house is not far from here."

"Oh, no, no I don't want to intrude besides I heard she doesn't allow just anyone in."

"Hmm, now that you mention it when Ryuu joined the team she had me meet them all in Saffron City." It said quietly as it started to speculate.

Ash was quietly observing it as the thoughts of their past clouded his mind. Remembering the ambush Team Rocket did…succeeding in taking his Pokémon away. What was even worse, it was because of that ambush he finally saw the horrors Team Rocket do to Pokémon first hand. He always knew that Team Rocket was pure evil but actually seeing it fueled his hatred for Team Rocket even more. Looking at the quiet scratch cat as they all walked towards Saffron City he remembered how it lied to him. How it used him and his friends to help one of Team Rocket's allies to succeed in their thievery of fossil Pokémon. It even admitted it that was their plan; however the details it was reiterating to everyone didn't make sense at all to him. It wasn't with Jessie and James, Team Flare did know they were there and from what he could understand Team Oyama was helping Team Rocket the whole way.

His anger was in full swing that he unintentionally started to speed up his pace to walk beside Meowth who was ahead of the humans. He side glanced it only to do a double take…was it really? Ghostly, hallow, dark blue eyes were staring aimlessly as the little feline walked with them. Was it really spacing out? The look disappeared quickly as it seemed Meowth snapped out of it to look up at Ash as if it felt prying eyes looking its way. Ash quickly adverted his gaze thinking that maybe he was just seeing things. It couldn't possibly be spacing out. Its back with Team Rocket. It should be happy.

Maybe some of what happened in Kalos wasn't all lies. It most likely was separated on purpose due to Team Oyama's enemies. Maybe that's why it was so distant. Their plans against Team Flare were working but they encountered an unforeseen attack and Team Oyama was willing to help if Meowth did something more in return. At the end of it all Ash couldn't think anymore as if his brain was becoming overloaded with too much information. If anything he could always get more information on their mission in Kalos on the side. Meowth did say it was in the report and Nicholas and Kenji seemed to know about it.

 _"Are Team Rocket mission reports published?"_

"So where do you live?" Jeanne asked Ash snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh…I…uh…live near Viridian City." He answered nervously, he wasn't sure if Meowth would remember his hometown but figured it would be best not to risk it.

"I must ask, do you have a thing for fairy type Pokémon?" Ash inquired since Jeanne was now back to her hard punk exterior. But whenever there was something pink or cute like a fairy type the gothic girl's cheeks would become rosy in color as her strong exterior melted away.

"I'm the youngest amongst five brothers and my family is all about tough Pokémon battles that require brute strength from both the trainer and Pokémon. My dad runs our household like it's his little army and since my family doesn't have a lot of money whatever the kids wanted to do was always decided as a group. My brothers are just like my dad; they love sports, battles, and all sorts of guy stuff so I guess you can say it rubbed off on me. But despite all the roughhousing I always loved cute things. So once I complete my training for Team Rocket, I want to do something that I want to do that's not decided by the men in my life."

"Like contests?"

"Contests? Hmm, maybe I mean I'm not that girly but its possible. I mean there are so many options out there I don't want to limit myself to just one."

* * *

They were near Saffron City and the two Rockets showed Ash the entrance into the tunnels. From there Jeanne said her farewells for she was off to her hometown Vermillion City. It was just the two of them now with Pikachu hiding in his backpack. Meowth continued to move on towards its destination with Ash right beside it. It was like it was on autopilot, ignoring him as it kept walking. The silence was deafening…Ash couldn't take it anymore.

"So…you're a Rocketeer. Kenji told me Pokémon like you are incredibly different from other Pokémon." Meowth stopped in its tracks as it snapped its attention up to Ash.

"It must be true since I've never encountered a Pokémon that can talk before. You must know some amazing moves as well." Meowth eyed him oddly before smirking as it turned its back to him.

"Heh…truth be told I used up all my energy to learn how to talk so I can't learn any moves."

"Speaking of truths, I couldn't help but think there was more to that story than you were letting on." Meowth eyed him suspiciously.

"There is and it's all in the report that's available to all members in the Team Rocket archives. I'm sure your teachers at the academy told you all about how to research past agents. Nicholas back there just wanted me tell him if there were any details that were left out." Meowth said before continuing its journey back to Viridian City.

"I did read it." Ash lied.

"And some of it just didn't make any sense to me." Meowth stopped as it turned to glare at the pestering boy. "In fact I have a theory that maybe you weren't there with them."

"What are you insinuating? Are you saying I wasn't in Kalos with them?"

"No, I just think that maybe you were more of a distraction so Team Flare was preoccupied with you rather than your friends." Ash answered coolly as he returned a glare of his own onto the scratch cat.

"I don't know who you think you are but back off. Nothing else happened. Seriously…I just met you and your already starting to really tick me off!"

"You're lying!" Ash said accusingly. Meowth looked into the brown eyes that challenged its bluff so daringly. Meowth was visibly shaking due to the anger that this kid ignited.

"Tell me the truth." Ash demanded, "You weren't with them at all were you."

Still visibly shaking due to all the rage that was building up inside Meowth turned around and muttered, "I wasn't."

Before walking off it turned back around and it was that look. The look that held such radiant sapphires for eyes…eyes that he could have sworn that he saw sparkles maybe even stars in its eyes. Why was it so rare to see it filled with such great confidence?

"Happy now? This is just between us all right…I ran into some trouble and was alone for a while. It's over now so if you don't mind I would like to forget about it."

"Were you really alone?" Ash was able to ask for he really wanted to scream at it for lying again but was able to sound collected. Meowth eyed him oddly again but still retained that starlight gaze.

"If you must know I was traveling with other people but just because you're traveling with someone doesn't mean they're there for you."

"What do you mean?" Meowth paused as if it were trying to find the right words.

"It means…they only cared when they thought I was worth something." It smirked at that statement.

"I think the boss prefers appearances over the truth." It said forlornly.

"Please," It said softly as it looked at Ash with vibrant blue eyes that were hinted with sadness. It placed a finger over its lips as if it were telling a secret.

"Let this be our little secret." It smiled softly as it tilted its head in the process. With that said Meowth turned to continue on walking with Ash following it contemplating over their travels in Kalos.

Despite all his anger and hatred that lingered what it said did hurt a little. He remembered how the idea of capturing it one day was heavy on his mind. The day when he found it sleeping was the first time he thought of Meowth as a Pokémon. However those ideas faded over time once Meowth rejoined Team Rocket. Ever since that day when they ambushed him and he saw the cruelties that Team Rocket and every other team does around the world, he wants nothing more than to see it end. He hates them, he hates them all. How can nice people like Jeanne or Kenji do such awful things to Pokémon? Why do they desire to be trained by such evil people? He just doesn't get it, it makes no sense.

 _"Maybe when I run into Hitoshi he'll be open to convincing some of the trainees to just quit and work for him."_

" _I think I can smell you…Pikachu."_ Meowth concentrated on the scents that lingered amongst this new face. He's annoying and persistent with so many annoying questions. Meowth could have sworn it saw something move within his bag, it was just a hunch but Meowth will never forget the scent of the Pikachu he and his teammates have been after all this time.

* * *

They made their way out of the tunnels. Ash has no idea how their underground system works. One minute they were in Saffron City and within an hour they were entering Viridian Forest. Normally if one were walking above ground the amount of time would have at least taken him a day or two. Meowth started to walk on ahead but stopped for it couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You can stop hiding Pikachu now twerp." It said calmly.

"Ehh, you knew it was me!"

"No one is as annoying as you." It stated as Pikachu popped its head out of the backpack glaring at the scratch cat.

"I hope you enjoyed the usage of the tunnels that we Rockets always use because it's the last time you'll ever be in them!" With that said it jumped high onto one of the tree branches that was in the area. It must have been at least ten feet off the ground; Ash was impressed by its flexibility.

 _"Amazing!"_ Meowth then disappeared as it took off.

"Ehhh...wait come back here!" He shouted.

 _"I got to stop it! This is bad…this is bad!"_ He ran through the Viridian Forest with Pikachu up in the trees in hot pursuit but to no avail as they reached the city with no scratch cat in sight.

"We've lost it…Oh, I guess we failed Pikachu."

"Pika Pi, Pikachu."

"I guess I don't have to wear this anymore." He gestured to the training uniform to which he was more than eager to take off and be in his regular clothes.

 _"_ _What am I going to tell Hitoshi? He was counting on me. Why did I go with them? I should have just gone home."_

* * *

He walks towards the path that would lead him home only to see the person he was thinking about. Dressed in a long black trench coat that was open revealing his black shirt and dark blue jeans underneath. He was leaning against a post as if he were waiting for Ash.

"So tell me…what have you learned so far?"

"Hitoshi…I'm sorry but I can't help you anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you see there's this talking Meowth that works for Team Rocket and it's apart of the team that always tried to take Pikachu. I ran into it today and it recognized me. Now I can't find it and it's going to rat me out."

"You were at headquarters?"

"Yes but that's not where I met it."

"Where did you meet?"

"I met it in Lavender Town."

"Lavender Town…why was it there?"

"Uh…I think it was doing something for someone named Yu…ki…something."

"Yumiko?"

"Yes that's it! We ran into it on the way and we came all the way here through the tunnels to Viridian Forest and that's when I lost it."

"Thank you Ash you've been very helpful. I will take care of it for you so don't worry you will still be able to go back to the training school with no problem."

"How?"

"Don't worry about it Ash. I'm actually here to show you something." He takes Ash to a poster saying _'One World Tournament'_.

"This league is going to start soon. It's where trainers collect 16 badges from all the gyms between Kanto and Johto."

"But I already have badges from them. So does that mean I could already train for the tournament?"

"No these badges will be different from the ones you won in the past. This tournament only happens once every eight years. There will be a trick to the badges that you win and you will have to solve it in order to qualify for the tournament. Normally if you were to win the conference you would then enter the champions league to compete against the elite four but if you win this league you won't have to do that. You would be able to immediately challenge the champion since he is the champion of the Kanto and Johto Regions. In other words, this tournament will attract some of the toughest trainers who all wish to battle it out amongst each other to see who is the ultimate champion." He explained calmly as Ash listened to him. Just hearing about this tournament made him excited. He wanted to compete now.

"I need you to win it all for me Ash." Hitoshi's statement broke through Ash's competitive ambitions.

"This will be an important step in taking Team Rocket down. They will let you compete because they will believe that you are in it for them. But once you are named champion of the Kanto and Johto Regions that will be the day when we pull the rug from under them." Ash was beyond pumped and what's more there was something at stake for him to fight for. All those Pokémon that he saw caged up and being sold off…no more…no more will that happen ever again once he becomes champion.

"But what about Meowth? It knows who I am. It knows how I truly feel about Team Rocket." He's extremely pumped for the competition but unfortunately a certain scratch cat popped into his mind for it could end up being a problem.

"It will be fine Ash. But if you ever run into it again or hear anything about Yumiko let me know immediately." He then handed Ash a business card.

"This is my direct number in case you hear anything." Ash puts it away.

"Is there anything else Ash? Do you have any work that needs to be completed?" Ash then remembered the bunch of packets and took them out to hand over to Hitoshi. He still felt dirty about not doing the work himself but reminded himself not to over think it. Hitoshi obviously knows what he's doing and if winning a tournament is what it takes to succeed then with all his might he will win.

* * *

Author Notes:

OOC: The culprit would be Meowth for not ratting Ash out right then and there. I know Meowth in the anime tends to be brash and acts out immediately when it knows something is off. Also it being on its own more maybe considered OOC as well but hopefully you can see that due to the previous story it has gained a little independence because of it. I know that Meowth is attached to the hip when it comes to Jessie and James and wouldn't leave their side ever...even if they were in a big fight it always comes back immediately. But hopefully due to what I have built up so far and with remnants of the previous story bleeding into this one you can see how Meowth is capable of growing into an even better character.

The One World Cup: My must repeat myself here...I have stopped watching the anime around the advanced generation. With that said according to my research the anime stated at one point that once someone wins the league's tournament they can enter a champion's league to face off with the elite four. And as we know from the games and sort of from the anime that Kanto and Johto have the same elite four and champion. And its the only regions that we know are officially connected/close to each other. So I decided to create an olympic size tournament sprinkled with Pokemon/fanfic logic.


	6. Trust No One

Author Notes:

"Behind the page"

One of the dilemmas I was facing was having Ash and Meowth running into each. I was super close on taking that whole part out all together and have what would be in this chapter apart of the last chapter minus their confrontation. But I personally didn't like the idea of prolonging the inevitable. They were going to run into each other eventually and let's face it Ash can't fool anyone for long. And I didn't want to part with their dialogue with each other because it would have only worked in that moment. Its scenes like this where I really like the dialogue but having to constantly question its right to exist in the story will always be a big reason for a delay in updates.

The age of the characters: According to one of the greatest sources of all Pokemon knowledge Bulbapedia...Jessie and James are stated to be 25 and Ash unfortunately is still and always will be 10. But the age of Giovanni is the mystery. In this story and in the previous one there has been a lot of talk about members such as Miyamoto who is Jessie's Mom and Madam Boss who is Giovanni's Mom. From what we know they were good friends and talked about their children. I couldn't find anymore details on the subject but I came under the impression that Giovanni is relatively older in the same respects as Jessie and James being older than Ash. My theory is that Madam Boss already had Giovanni and once Miyamoto was pregnant Madam Boss was there to help her out and explained what it will be like balancing her roles as a parent and as an agent. So in this story Giovanni is around the age of 40. This theory is of course debatable and again this is only a fanfic but as you continue reading I figured having an understanding in age difference would help. That Miyamoto and Madam boss are in one age group, Giovanni and Yumiko are in another, then Jessie and James and finally Ash.

Speaking of Giovanni he maybe out of character. The best way I thought I can keep him in character is to not give him much dialogue instead your getting the sense of what he is going through in a third person narrative. He will have his own lines to say but the more he spoke the less threatening he appeared. So hopefully this chapter does him justice and he does come of as the mean and heartless boss we all remember him to be.

Finally...I have committed a sin...a PokeSin?...you'll see

Chapter. 6 Trust No One

* * *

Giovanni walked over to the large window in his office as the latest reports laid neatly on his desk. It was apparent to all of his top most trusted affiliates that Team Blade was on the move and has been lurking in the outskirts of Team Rocket territory. It was like they were taunting him…how dare they! How dare they mock his power! Giovanni wasn't worried in the slightest; they were nothing but thorns in his side. But they're out there…waiting to strike; unfortunately for them it will be Team Rocket who will strike them first.

He thought back to the day when he received the completed report of Jessie and James' mission. It was clear to him in that moment that Team Rocket has achieved in meeting their goals of reaching a new age for Team Rocket. But then Meowth told him that an unknown group that goes by the name Team Blade separated it. It was in his office with its comrades and it seemed that they may have already heard this story and were trying hard to prevent it from boring the boss with some silly fantasy. Its behavior was odd to Giovanni because he knew that this Meowth would do anything for his approval. Nevertheless he dismissed the trio, congratulating them on a job well done. The two agents walked out with big grins embracing their features as the little Meowth trailed slowly behind them. Surprisingly moments later Meowth came in alone. Meowth seemed different…somehow it wasn't the foolish runt that he dismissed long ago as Meowth took in a deep breath before telling its tale without any interruptions.

As Giovanni listened he couldn't believe what he was hearing. The report that was supposed to be a pivotal point for Team Rocket was now possibly the start of something disastrous. Meowth went on saying how it has no idea how Jessie and James got that information since they were held captive. Giovanni wasn't willing to believe it just yet as he pulled out the report in question. He told it…he showed it the report and where it said that even this runt of a Pokémon was a big part in their success. He even threw a little praise in its direction to see if it would retract its statements. It didn't…in fact it was even bolder as it reiterated that Team Blade interfered with Team Rocket. That Team Oyama, a team that he has dismissed long ago along with their counterpart Team Hyoga helped to get the trio back together. What was even more surprising was that Team Solaris was also active in this inconvenience. Only once has he encountered agents from Team Solaris and it was because of that old Gogoat Satoru. It was unimaginable that these teams actually helped Team Rocket.

It was a little too much to take in all at once, not to mention Meowth's story seemed a little farfetched. If anything he had to agree with Jessie and James for once that it must have been dreaming. But those blue eyes…something changed, even his Persian seemed more irritated at times. Could a dream really change a person or in this case a Pokémon? He dismissed it uncaringly like he always done and gave it a peace of mind that he would look into it. He was curious but not enough to actually go through with it. However the mentioning of other teams being involved did incline him to order Meowth to keep everything confidential. The report that the trio brought forth to him was perfect. It was simply uncalled for to put on record what a pathetic weakling was spouting. If word got out that a small group of no bodies were able to interfere with agents from Team Rocket then some of his biggest adversaries would consider this a good opportunity to attack Team Rocket directly. But as time went on signs of a movement within the shadows appeared. Teams that were smaller compared to Team Rocket in other regions have been dismantled. Some even had potential to become good rivals. In other words more like entertainment so he could destroy them himself.

Thanks to Ryuu's investigations into the matters of these failed teams it was becoming clear that taking Team Blade lightly wasn't a good idea anymore. Unlike those small teams, Team Rocket was vastly bigger in scale and had more resources at its disposal. So Giovanni wasn't to worried but being precautious of the matter was in order. From what Ryuu has gathered, Team Blade reaches out to members who seem disloyal to their leaders. They reach out by sending information about their cause and propaganda against the team they are in. Stating how Team Blade could serve them better. Ryuu also found out that Team Blade has their own members joining their targeted team and serve as undercover agents. Thankfully, Team Rocket's top security aides have plenty of experience from sorting out the people who thought they could take Team Rocket down on their own because they won a tournament or two. Due to high volumes of members joining they've changed the way they vetted people. Instead of doing one security clearance in the beginning on a candidate who wishes to join, they now do security clearances every two months on new members for up to three years. Once declared a seasoned member a security clearance will happen once every five years.

Giovanni walked back to his desk to look over some of the profiles and latest results from the training academy. He flipped through the pages till he landed in the section dealing with the junior class. The one file that stood out was the one that was heavier than the rest due to the extensive background checks he ordered on this boy. He skimmed though it noting that the boy has a Pikachu.

 _"Could this be?"_ He thought for a moment. He looked at the boy's profile picture…he looked familiar but Giovanni decided not to dwell on it to much as he looked through what was discovered. This kid comes from Pallet Town and has been in a few league tournaments but hasn't won anything. He was recently in Kalos and was runner up in their league. Kalos…it left a bad taste in his mouth. He quickly dropped the file carelessly back onto his desk. He needed a break as he walked back to the large window in his office that gave him the grand view of mountains with Kanto in the far distance hoping the annoyance of Kalos would clear away. He sighed to himself as he eyed the paperwork on his desk while the thought of that little Meowth that he dismissed long ago entered his mind. It's different somehow…different to the point where he can no longer deny that its story in Kalos was in fact true. The truth however angered him greatly.

* * *

Just outside the police station Meowth quickly slips the letter from Milo into the mailbox. The letter itself was light and in a yellow envelope with a sticker of what looked like a shooting star. Meowth figured that since Milo is apart of Team Solaris that maybe its for his team. The letter itself didn't even have a stamp or a return address on it, whatever it was it was kind of exciting for Meowth to just think about what someone like Milo could do. Just thinking about all the possible heists made Meowth's blood boil with excitement. It was a sense of rush that he would get doing work for Team Rocket that simply could not be explained.

 _"I really like it."_ He thought as the feeling brought up some old memories from back in the day before a certain twerp and Pikachu came along. He started to walk away from the police station's mailbox with every intention to find Jessie and James to tell them of his latest discovery. While he must admit that those feelings from the past were exciting he likes being with Jessie and James more. Like he told Kenji and Nicholas, the errands he did were just a one-time thing. It wasn't like he was going to start hitting the gym to train so he could do much harder missions or start living an independent lifestyle away from his friends. If he did start taking things more seriously the boss…Meowth stopped himself as unnecessary sad thoughts came to mind.

 _"He might not let me stay with them anymore."_ A tear started to threaten to fall but Meowth quickly rubbed it away as it reminded itself that this was no time for silly emotions like that.

* * *

He headed for the district in Viridian City that's highly populated by Rockets. It was a nice area once you got further in. The outskirts looked like run down streets that no white collar human would want to be in. It was the perfect set up. On the outside it looked really sketchy as a few grunts who were really guards took on the roles as the average thug. Some were playing with dice on the sidewalks while others stood around to look intimidating. They would play with the toothpicks in their mouth and have a metal baseball bat on the side or over their shoulder. Whenever a random passerby would come or some street gang member wanted to be courageous the grunts on duty would then put on some elaborate hoax by growling or acting tough. It was kind of funny to watch humans act that way. It was enough to scare anyone away and no serious crimes happened here so the police would always stay away…it also helps to have some grunts working as undercover cops. Bottom line no outsider knew that beyond the dark sketchy alleyways there was a really nice neighborhood.

Completed with its own Town Square, shopping centers and a mix of apartment buildings and urban like townhouses. And thanks to the technology from some of the brightest Team Rocket scientists all outsiders would see is a forest if they were flying above. On its way home Meowth got sidetracked due to a few kids playing on the sidewalk. They were playing with some marbles and one got away. It was so tiny and round that Meowth had to chase it. Unfortunately, a human that was taller than a small human kid stopped it. Meowth looked up to see it was Ryuu staring at it with a warm smile. He wore the black uniform as most Rockets do. Meowth made a mental note that Jessie and James were special like that not wanting to follow the crowd.

"Hey Meowth. You missed some really good ice cream yesterday. If you like I'm sure Jessie and James are up for another round." It feels so unnatural to be around this guy. He's so nice but those brown eyes seem so cold.

"Although I must say that you should have waited for one of us to come and get you. Not a lot of Rockets know the truth about what happened in Kalos, you should know better than to be so careless even when the boss made strict changes."

"But the changes were to never leave Kanto."

Ryuu was about to say something but Jessie and James came up from behind him, "Looks like you finally wish to join us." Jessie said.

"I'm glad you're back it's just not the same without you." James added. Meowth smiled hearing his friends' voices again. It may have just been a day but a day was too long. Just being with them its heart felt warmer.

"Sorry, to tell you the truth I had a strange dream and I just felt like I had to be at headquarters for a while."

"You could have told us that yesterday." Jessie stated.

"What was the dream about?" James asked.

"Nothing really just that Yumiko," Meowth stopped himself as he eyed the composed Ryuu observing it quietly. Meowth thought in that moment that maybe telling the whole truth in front of him wasn't such a good idea.

"Yumiko?" The two questioned.

"Dreams aren't meant to be taken seriously you know." Ryuu stated causally. "They are mostly just our desires that are deep within our subconscious. It sounds like you may have truly enjoyed your stay with Yumiko and only wish to hang out with her again."

"That's a good point." James agreed calmly.

"Yeah come to think of it that whole being separated in Kalos that you went on and on about was just a dream too." Jessie added.

"Hmm, dreams can be extraordinary at times but its best to remember how to separate from what is real and what is not." Ryuu clarified as Meowth watched Jessie and James nod in agreement.

Meowth couldn't help but think back to when it was reunited with Jessie and James. It didn't waste anytime and explained what happened. It wanted to see for himself if what Mamoru said was indeed true and that they didn't remember anything except the mission that was given to them. Meowth told them how it woke up alone, ran into various teams and traveled through mountains and forests alone. It left the part out about how the twerps were always there but it did mention their presence at the school in Anbero City where Team Oyama came back with the intentions of reuniting the trio. Jessie and James eyed each other oddly before laughing loudly. Its story was ridiculous and they said that it must have been dreaming. They brought out the data they stole from Lysandre Labs and showed it as proof that they were successful together. At that point Meowth decided to drop it all together for the time being. It wasn't like Meowth wanted to give its exhausting experiences alone any more thought. Unfortunately forgetting was hard.

As it was reminiscing, Meowth remembered why it rushed over so quickly.

"Oh, I almost forgot. The twerp,"

"Since we're all together why don't we all get some ice cream, my treat." Ryuu intergected. Jessie and James quickly agreed enthusiastically.

"But the twerp's Pikachu,"

"Is in the hands of Team Rocket." Ryuu interrupted again.

"Now with that out of the way you three can finally close that chapter in your lives and move on to bigger and better things." Ryuu stated in a calming tone to which Jessie and James cheered joyously.

* * *

The small break wasn't enough time to challenge all the gyms before going back to the academy. But Ash was eager to start his new adventure by challenging at least one gym before returning to the academy. He relaxed a bit at home before rushing to the closest gym that was in Viridian City. He ran all the way there because he just couldn't contain his excitement any longer. From what he remembered the gym was a small building but as he came upon it the gym clearly had some remolding done. The overall structure was the same but a left and right wing were added making it much larger. He walked in and was surprised to see a newly decorated entrance completed with what could pass as a concierge desk. No one was there and too impatient to wait for someone to show up he proceeded further in and entered where the battlefield was located.

"How did you get in here? The gym is closed." Someone stated, Ash turns to see a young boy with dark red hair and red eyes walking up to him.

"It was unlocked. I'm here to challenge the gym leader for the 'One World Tournament.'"

"How many badges did you win?"

"This would be my first."

"Come back when you have more badges."

"What?"

"I'm not interested in battling some amateur."

"I'm no amateur! I already won the badge for this gym and all the gyms that are in this tournament before and I was runner up in the Kalos league." "Pika! Pikachu!"

"Runner up? So that means you're still a loser. Come back when you have some badges then we'll battle."

"As gym leader you're supposed to accept my challenge no matter what!" "Pika!"

"I'm not denying you I just want a challenge that's worth my time. As gym leader I'm the one that makes the rules on who qualifies for the right to challenge me. Since you are a runner up in a league then it shouldn't be hard for you to obtain all 15 badges. Do so and then I'll accept your challenge." The rude boy proceeded to walk away. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Runner Up!"

"I'll show you! I'm going to win the whole thing! Just you wait!" Ash was furious as he walked out. How dare that guy abuse his powers like that. He acts like he's above it all.

* * *

The four Junior Rockets were clearly a tight group of friends. Before their little adventure to Lavender Town they would always hangout with each other gossiping about the latest news. At times one of them would try to reach out to Ash but due to his lack of remembering his code name and not really wanting to converse with such people they would often ignore him. Nicholas is a heavy built red head that is the most obnoxious out of them all. Always boasting about himself and provoking Ash whenever he could. He clearly hated Ash probably more than Ash hated Team Rocket. Whenever they would try to invite Ash to join them, Nicholas would be the first one to try to convince them to reconsider. Erin, the petite girl with a bob cut of moss green hair and circular eyeglasses has a strange obsession for ghost types. She's rather shy but once she gets started on her favorite subject she's like a completely different person. Jeanne has her pink hair loosely braided. She wears a tight black tank top and a tight leather skirt with the rest of her legs covered in black fishnets. The school has a strict policy to wear their uniforms, which is to wear it at all times when on school grounds, excluding the dorms. Ash unfortunately always had a problem with this rule since wearing the Junior Rocket uniform always made him feel dirty. Jeanne happens to be the only one not wearing the junior uniform at school. Ash honestly doesn't know how she gets away with it. Kenji was the nicest of the group. He had dark brown skin with tightly braided black hair. He would always try to get Ash to join and sometimes he would succeed but other times he couldn't get Ash's attention. But that would never stop him from trying again despite Nicholas's disapprovals. Ash couldn't understand for the life of him how a nice guy like Kenji could be friends with a jerk like Nicholas.

* * *

Ash's return to the school was the same as he left it. He entered the classroom where he saw the tight group of friends chatting away. A few of them waved to him but nothing really changed since their little adventure in Lavender Town.

 _"I guess that's a good thing. I wonder how Hitoshi does it."_

"So what did Satoru need you two for? Was it anything important?" Ash overheard one of the girls asking Nicholas and Kenji.

"Team Oyama came to visit!?" One of the girls exclaimed.

" _Team Oyama?"_ Ash overheard. He slowly grew bitter hearing about them again. Recalling how he was deceived from the beginning.

"What could Satoru be thinking?" Erin asked.

"It was nothing really. They just wanted Satoru's help to get in touch with Giovanni. It seems that they've been facing some trouble, specifically in Kalos and in Sinnoh. Before we left Satoru told us to keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspicious." Nicholas explained but stopped midway as he finally acknowledged Ash's presence in the room. Noticing that it seemed like he was eavesdropping.

"Hey Ashwin." Kenji greeted Ash, preventing Nicholas from saying anything.

"Hey Kenji." He responded.

"Pull up a seat." Kenji gestured to which Ash followed through and joined the Rockets. "We were all thinking that during next break we should go check out the Viridian City gym. You should join us."

"What would you want from a gym?" Ash asked skeptically since Pokémon gyms are not places that crooks would what to check out just for the fun of it.

"Silver is the new gym leader and we heard it was remolded."

"Yeah and since a lot of Rockets live in Viridian City he added new training rooms for all Team Rocket personal." Erin said.

"Training rooms for Team Rocket? Wait are you telling me that Viridian City gym is owned by Team Rocket?"

"Its not that hard to own a gym if you know the right people." Jeanne stated.

"All right you kids sit down!" Drill Sargent Viper ordered. Everyone quickly got up and returned to their assigned seats. As Ash returned to his seat the news was still sinking in…he couldn't believe it!

"I want a progress report from each of you. What have you all accomplished so far when it comes to independent training? Ashwin! You first!" He ordered. Ash stood up nervously and was unsure what the report was supposed to be about. But then he remembered what Erin said that independent training was designed in a way so that they can reach their personal goals.

"I'm going to enter the 'One World Tournament!'" He declared. "I'm going to win it all and become the greatest Pokémon master the world has ever seen!"

"Hmm," Viper pondered over the idea only to make Ash nervous. Was it wrong for him to say? Does he not like it?

"With your battling skills I could see that happening." He replied putting Ash's nerves to rest.

"Very well, I think that's an excellent way to contribute to Team Rocket. Ashwin! Win that tournament and become champion. A regional champion with the flags of Team Rocket behind him sounds perfect." Ash collapsed back into his chair and was finally able to breath again as the Drill Sargent moved on to the next trainee. They accepted it…they like the idea and what's even better they have no idea what's really in store for them.

 _"How could a gym leader be involved with the likes of Team Rocket? The role of a gym leader is to encourage harmony between trainers and Pokémon. I can't believe it! Team Rocket…"_ The images of all those poor Pokémon in cages flooded his mind as well as all the times the trio tried to steal Pikachu and his other Pokémon from him.

 _"I will blast you all away for good!"_

* * *

"Boss, you wish to see me." A nervous feline approached the man that screamed intimidation as his stupid Persian looked so smug.

"Tell me why you were in Lavender Town."

"Uh…I was just taking care of an errand."

"For who and don't lie!"

"For Yumiko."

"For that witch? Where were those two idiots?"

"They were getting ice cream with Ryuu in Viridian City."

"You were out alone? You know the rules. I allowed you to become a field agent under the conditions that you were to always be under their watch. Now after all this time it sounds like this is common occurrence."

"But boss it was just a one time thing and it was for one of our own. I mean it was just a simple Rocketeer task."

"Rocketeer…Tch! Such an outdated commodity." He mumbled. "It's best that you distance yourself from such a thing and accept that you're more like a companion to them." He stated strictly as he petted his purring Persian, which only aggravated Meowth as it watched that stupid overgrown cat. "After your constant failures with those buffoons you're no where near the qualifications of a perfect Rocketeer."

"If that's the case then I shouldn't have to be in that stupid play!" Meowth snapped back, to which the boss gave him a menacing glare for even daring to speak in such a way. He squeezed the fur on the back of his Persian, it whimpered a little due to the pain.

"Remember who I am and what you are before speaking again." He warned before releasing his tight grip on his poor Persian. It was quick but he thought he saw sparks of light within its blue eyes. However, Meowth's moment of confidence quickly diminished as it realized that this was the boss it was talking to. It looked to the boss nervously as it mentally slapped itself for not keeping its mouth shut. Giovanni returned to gently stroking his Persian who was comfortably sitting next to him. It angered him how this Pokémon dared to even challenge him like that. Meowth's disobedience, while sort lived was not something he had any patience for…then again Pokémon are great tools when used properly.

"If you are serious and truly desire to return to your previous duties in Team Rocket then so be it. However, it's a great responsibility so I won't just hand it over to you. Like all the rest you will have to earn your place in the ranks. Consider yourself lucky that I'm feeling generous." He said.

"But if I ever find out that you did any sort of work on your own like that again…your finished!" He threatened.

"We have a system in place for a Rocket's service and if Yumiko wants your service she is to pay top dollar like everyone else." He stated. "I'm finished with you…Leave!" He ordered as he swiveled his chair around to look out the window.

Meowth wanted to run out of the most uncomfortable room as fast as possible. But as it headed for the door it stopped to think. It hasn't been able to tell Jessie and James about its discovery of the twerp no thanks to Ryuu always butting in. Not to mention they are too infatuated with him that they might not even care. He looked to the back of the boss's chair, thinking that maybe…

"Boss, we have spy!" Meowth shouted as it broke through its nervousness.

"A spy? Who?"

"He's in the junior training class. He is the boy with the Pikachu. He hates Team Rocket. You need to kick him out."

Giovanni quickly pulls out the latest results from the training school and spots the boy in question.

"This is the boy that you three have been wasting time on?" He questioned out loud. "So the boy with the worst test scores is a spy?" He chuckled.

"I don't know how but he got his Pokémon back and we left them where we always do in Celadon City." Giovanni was skimming through the paperwork on the boy in question before he looked to Meowth.

"Thank you Meowth, but there's nothing to fear from a boy who can't pass any simple test. For a spy you would think he would put a little more effort. Many hotshot trainers before him thought they had what it takes to challenge the power of Team Rocket. They all think that they alone would have what it takes to disband us but all end in the same way. This boy like all the rest will meet the same fate." He continued looking through the boy's paper work.

"So you'll kick him out?"

"I will address him accordingly. You may go now."

" _That went surprisingly well."_ Meowth thought so it gathered up enough courage to bring up another human that was bothering him.

"Boss, I think you should keep your eyes on Ryuu too."

"Ryuu? Now you're just speaking nonsense. I added him to your team as a courtesy. You should be grateful that you now have someone that's reliable on your team. Maybe if you ask nicely he'll train you." Meowth hated that idea and tried to use the last of its remaining courage to speak up but the boss silenced him.

"I will hear no more of this. Leave!"

* * *

After that nerve-wracking discussion with the boss Meowth was making its way to the giant mess hall that was located in the center of the entire headquarters facility. With the way that conversation ended it seemed like the boss isn't going to do anything about it.

 _"I guess I went to far by accusing Ryuu too."_ It concluded as it sighed its frustrations to itself.

* * *

The mess hall was the Team Rocket headquarter's equivalent of a food court that one could find in any large shopping mall. The large dome skylight within the center made the room very bright. Tall trees that were individually planted in the marble flooring along with some garden like gazebos and flowers made the mess hall very elegant. There were all sorts of restaurants around here too as Meowth couldn't help but smell the delicious fried foods.

"Hey Meowth." Ryuu walked up from behind it. "How did it go?"

"How did what go?"

"Ha, Ha." He giggled softly, "There's no need to be like that. I'm guessing the boss told you not to go out on your own anymore, right? You see its not like I was trying to be mean, we have to be careful now."

"You told the boss?" It questioned loudly _._

 _"He couldn't have known about Lavender Town, could he? It must have been someone else."_ Meowth's mind raced with all the possibilities that someone else told the boss about Lavender Town. Logically speaking it could have been Kenji or Nicholas telling Satoru then Satoru telling the boss. But could that be possible? Even as a Pokémon Meowth knew the boss didn't like Satoru. Ryuu looked at Meowth kindly with a soft smile.

"Jessie and James are over there." He pointed towards the two sitting at one of the many tables.

"Would you please be so kind to have them wait for me? I too must have a word with the boss." He started to walk passed Meowth but then turned his head slightly to look back at it.

"After I'm done I want all of us to celebrate our new team together. You're all really close friends that I truly envy you. Even though these changes are most likely temporary I hope you all can find it in your hearts to find a place for me in your group. I'm sure with all of us working together we can grow stronger than ever before." He was so sincere about it all as Meowth listened to the tall man wearing the usual black Team Rocket outfit. The tall trees behind the man started to sway in the wind making that eerie sound of wind rustling between the leaves. They were inside how could that be? Meowth figured that maybe it was the changes in the air that comes through from people coming and going. It was quick but as he observed Ryuu and the swaying trees behind him, the dark cloaked man appeared in his place.

 _ **(Listen!)**_ It heard a strange yet familiar voice. Meowth was so fixated on Ryuu as it continued to look up at him listening to the swaying trees. Ryuu felt he had said his piece and started to walk away to which Meowth couldn't help but recall the last time he saw Tatsuo walking away.

 _ **(Listen!)**_ It heard again.

"Ryuu! Wait!" Meowth shouted to get his attention to which Ryuu responded as well as a few other agents nearby.

"You maybe the greatest agent around but just so you know…I Don't Like You!" It shouted its last statement venomously as everyone in the mess hall heard it. Ryuu took notice of all the stunned expressions around the room as many quickly started to talk amongst themselves.

He smirked kindly, "I'm sorry you feel that way Meowth." He then proceeded to make his way to the boss's office.

"Meowth!" It heard Jessie and James run towards it. It was written all over their faces, they couldn't believe what they just heard.

"What's gotten into you?" Jessie yelled.

"Have you completely lost it?" Meowth then noticed all the mixed feelings around the room as some were displeased by its choice of words.

"I don't like him." It whispered softly.

"Meowth," James responded softly, "Did you like us when we first met?" Meowth couldn't look at him as it felt the young man's gloved hand pat its head softly.

"It has just been the three of us for so long that these changes are weird for all of us."

"No matter what we will always be a team." Jessie added.

"Ryuu is only temporary so you should really give him another chance. Things would be a whole lot easier if you do, believe me…I should know." She side glanced her arch nemesis Cassidy who was busy chatting with few of the men including her partner. As Cassidy noticed who was glaring at her, she stuck out her tongue while pulling one of her eyelids down.

"Grrr…working with someone you hate is always a nightmare!" She said in pure hot rage startling the other two.

"Wow, she must really hate that person." Meowth stated as it recovered from that quick scare Jessie provided.

"Uh-huh."

"Wobba."

* * *

The boss didn't skip a beat as he swiveled his chair to face Ryuu, he then placed a folder onto his desk motioning for Ryuu to look at it.

"This boy was the one you recommended." Ryuu looked through the folder that contained Ash's photo as well as the information of him owning a Pikachu and some of his other Pokémon.

"As you already know I ordered the Drill Sargent to run extensive background checks on him out of courtesy since you were the one who recommended him in the first place. It's not customary for us to do extensive security clearances on our juniors but since we are under unique circumstances and the fact that he comes from the world of outsiders I deemed it necessary." Giovanni paused as he watched Ryuu look over the results from Team Rocket's security team's findings. Ryuu was calm…not surprised at all. The security team was able to dig up the fact that this kid interfered with a few of Team Rocket's plans such as the St. Anne operation and Project R at the Lake of Rage. Bottom line, this kid clearly has no business in trying to fit in, in the world of Team Rocket.

"I happen to remember this boy. I defeated his Pikachu in Unova. He has some of the worst test scores I have ever seen and there hasn't been any signs of improvement. But Drill Sargent Viper proclaims that he is one of the best battlers at the academy amongst all the juniors, including older students training to be field agents. I on the other hand don't care and want this boy gone." Giovanni ended his sentiments on a menacing note as he watched Ryuu continue reading all the information that was available on the student in question in a calmly fashion.

"It's a rare occurrence for you to recommend others to any of our training programs." Giovanni stated a mental note out loud. "Some were good with unique tributes for Team Rocket while others were mediocre at best. What made you recommend him?"

"He's the perfect pawn. The boy is young with eyes that are wide open but at the same time he is blind to the world around him. With the right resources he could be of great use to you." The boss listened intently to his top agent. Ryuu looked over the extensive reports that were included in Ash's file as well as the recent notes from Drill Sargent Viper.

"I see, he wishes to participate in the _'One World Tournament'_ as his independent study. That sounds promising, this could be your chance to take full control of Kanto and Johto."

"That is if the boy in question is truly capable of accomplishing such a feat. Also such a concept requires loyalty, which according to this boy's past clearly doesn't have for Team Rocket." Ryuu was finished looking over the boy's file and causally placed it back onto the boss's desk.

"I like our junior training program." Ryuu stated in a calmly fashion. "The junior training program was created with the purpose of training the new generations of Team Rocket. One could only participate if they received a recommendation so as a result the majority of juniors are children of top Rocket officials. The juniors are young and carefree to the world around them. They are gifted with the luxury to do as they please during their independent studies so they can discover themselves early on. I recommended him because having someone with his background at an impressionable age would be attractive to those who wish to oppose us."

"I see so this unfortunate boy has become your latest pet project. Team Blade's tactics is to go after weak links so you decided to give them one." Giovanni smirked at the idea. "Very well, I see your investigations into the matter has evolved into your own personalized mission. I trust that you will see fit once your done you will dispose your recent subject accordingly."

"Of course, all my missions have similar endings. A few casualties come with the territory." The boss listened very carefully letting Ryuu's words sink in, at the end of the day he trusts Ryuu above all others in Team Rocket. Ryuu has been a loyal servant to him for the past few years. His empire has reached the pinnacle of surpassing his mother's, thanks to Ryuu. During Madame Boss's reign, Miyamoto was the rising star that everyone dreamed to follow. She was the embodiment of the perfect agent and was the main reason why his mother was so successful. It was the one element he's been missing, finally Ryuu who is arguably even better than Miyamoto has given Team Rocket the energy it needed to become an even better organization.

"Alright Ryuu, I like the concept but I want weekly progress reports on your mission. If there isn't any traction by the end of the year, that boy is gone. While I find manipulating gullibility a good method I will pull the plug on your little experiment if the boy can't improve. If he can't meet the requirements like the rest of his classmates in the next few weeks I will destroy him like all the others that thought they had what it takes to challenge me." He declared.

"I understand sir. I assure you out of all the people that are in Team Rocket, this boy will be the least of your concerns. In the right hands the young mind can be quiet flexible." The boss reopened the file that was placed back onto his desk looking over the recent notes from Drill Sargent Viper once more.

"I also like the brat's desire to compete in the league. A Rocket winning the league is an excellent idea but I feel that someone with a higher caliber and vast loyalty to Team Rocket would be better suited for the job. I want you to enter the league. With your skills Team Rocket would be guaranteed the victory and this task will also serve you well in keeping tabs on the boy during his travels."

"I understand, sir." Ryuu bowed respectively as he smirked to himself.

* * *

Newcomers that had an outsider's background normally came from broken homes or are just trying to find themselves. They have it pretty easy it seemed since most of the dynamics within the organization went over their heads. They knew nothing about Miyamoto or anything for that matter. Giovanni's charismatic leadership was appealing to them and that has made them extremely loyal to Team Rocket. The newcomer population has grown quiet a bit, making Meowth's past and the likes of Miyamoto unknown to the majority. As for the people who were educated on the subjects were those who were affiliated with Team Rocket all their lives or were seasoned veterans.

Due to the end of the year rituals, it's required that agents were to be in Headquarters frequently for updates, evaluations, relocations and all sorts of things for a smooth transition into the New Year. Unfortunately that meant that Meowth had to hang around till at least one of his team members were given the okay to go home. It has been nerve-wracking the past few days since Meowth's little outburst in the mess hall because people were still talking about it. Humans have a tendency to voice their opinions whether or not it was desired. The popular opinion was that it should apologize. The worst offenders were the ones who suggested that it should ask Ryuu to train it since now that there is an agent on its team with a higher caliber compared to Jessie and James. This opinion normally came from those who knew about it being the top cat.

The majority opinion of Jessie and James is favorable to a degree...that is when it came to outsiders. As for the seasoned veterans some felt that their positions weren't earned due to James's family connections and Miyamoto being Jessie's mom. While others felt that they needed more training in order to be qualified as field agents. And then there were always the people who didn't like Jessie and James at all. Mostly it was due to their lack of brain cells and in other cases it was a little too complicated for Meowth to comprehend. Humans are just complex like that Meowth figured.

Either way, Meowth didn't want to hear it anymore. It decided the best thing would be was to just chill outside for the remaining time it has to stay at Headquarters. While Headquarters was in the middle of mountainous terrains the boss made sure there was still an inviting appeal for newcomers so he added a large garden oasis that was near the mess hall. Filled with flowers and fountains that splashed gently, Meowth found the perfect spot underneath one of the many willow trees to take a nice catnap. Breathing in the clean air, listening to the winds rustle through the leaves and green grass and the soft splashes from the fountains...peaceful...simply peaceful.

* * *

 *****Ring, Ring*****

"Huh?" Meowth opened his eyes to see he was no longer at headquarters. He sat up right to see he was sitting in an open field and a mountain range stretching as far as the eyes can see. Further out he saw those snow covered mountains again. They were so far away they might as well be in another region. Suddenly a twinkle of light appeared by those peaks and the wind started to pick up, blowing roughly against Meowth's fur.

"Oh good your still here." A familiar feminine voice said.

"Yumiko?" Meowth looked around and saw no one.

"Would you be a dear and pick up some delicious yakisoba from headquarters for me?"

"But I can't." Meowth replied, he felt like he was going crazy. No one was around so it felt like he was talking to air. But Meowth continued his answer anyway.

"The boss got really mad and says that you should pay like everyone else." There was nothing but silence, Meowth was starting to think that maybe he really was going crazy. He looked around some more as he felt the gentle breezes of the wind while he turned his gaze to those mysterious mountains. It all seems so real even the grass against his fur felt real.

 _"Am I really dreaming?"_

* * *

The door slams open as a tall skinny woman with long black hair entered Giovanni's office.

"I'm sorry sir, I tried to stop her!" Matori apologized franticly but the boss quickly dismissed her.

"Its fine…close the door." Matori glared at the tall woman who grinned as she waved her goodbye before reluctantly doing as she was ordered to do. Yumiko then turned her attention to the man himself. She gave him an award-winning smile as she causally closed the distance between herself and his desk.

"I must say I love what you done with the place." She complemented his office in an enthusiastic tone.

"Just tell me why you're here." Giovanni demanded in a low aggravated tone.

"I'm here to apologize." She stated dramatically.

"Life has just been so busy that I almost forgot to give you my payments." She stated cheerfully and proceeded to pull out a few items.

"Here you go." The first item was rolled up as she placed it on his desk. Unamused Giovanni eyed it as he saw the label indicating it was a souvenir map of the Sevi Islands.

"Remember when I secured those islands for you. Such good times and great weather it was hard not to stay in paradise." She then pulled out a picture frame that had Cutieflies in the design. The picture itself was of Yumiko doing a cute victory pose with her Cutiefly in front of the Viridian City gym.

"Oh the Pokémon league." She sighed as she reminisced about the old days.

"Such simple people, getting that gym for you was probably the easiest mission." She pulled out few more items and placed them on his desk. Once she was done explaining all of them she smiled happily.

"There that should do it." She chimed then exhaled heavily, "Woo, it feels so good to be debt free. I'm glad I was able to get it off my chest."

"Hmph, your service to Team Rocket may have exceeded others during your prime but compared to this generation of agents you're nothing more than an inconvenience to me."

"HA, HA, HA!" Yumiko laughed.

"Your saying those degenerates who can't tell the difference between a Plusle and a Minun are better than me!? Ha, Ha, and here I thought you were smarter than this." She belittled him.

"You may have been helpful in securing my leadership." Giovanni responded begrudgingly.

"But then you became boring and I have lost interest in you. I have nothing more to say to you." He swiveled his chair around giving her the indication to vacate his office.

"Leave!" He ordered.

"I have a proposition for you." Yumiko didn't skip a beat as she countered his move. She started to make her way around his desk as he slowly turned back around.

"You're an intelligent, charismatic man who runs one of the most powerful organizations in the underground world. You're no fool…you know something bigger is at play here." She was well poised as she sat next to him on the edge his desk. Her black kimono was worn in a sloppy fashion as it showed her pale skin on her shoulders. Her long black hair was straight and to the side as she stared him down.

"I have everything under control. Team Rocket is heading into the new year better than ever before with some of the brightest and strongest of field agents. Our research departments have been breaking grounds on some new developments. Our strongholds in Viridian City, Celadon City, Goldenrod City and Mahogany Town are thriving. Our recruiters that are stationed through out our regions are surpassing records of new recruits joining. Thanks to my closest asset Ryuu we have been able to break through the barriers that separated us from the outside world. Its because of him our message of strength has reached millions. The timing of those pathetic Team Blade pests couldn't have been better. With my power crushing them won't be as nearly as exciting as the battles of so many others that thought they had what it takes to take the power of Team Rocket on."

"Is that so?" Yumiko started off coolly.

"Well if everything is perfectly in order than it wouldn't due you any harm in accepting my offer. I've paid my fair share to Team Rocket so allow Jessie and James to put Meowth under my care. It will only be temporary and it will help with silencing all the chatter about that little upheaval." He looked at her sternly.

"I'm no simpleton, you left Team Rocket voluntarily the very moment those three were declared a team. I can't help but wonder if it's wise of me to consider you an ally."

"The past cannot be changed." Yumiko started.

"But our futures have unlimited possibilities, but only if we seize the fleeting light of opportunity. I'm not here to ask you to trust me. We see the world too differently for there to be any trust between us. Consider my service to you as my way of offering the best outcome. It is after all what I was always good at during my prime." She smiled gently at that last word.

"In all the years you've worked for me you've always had a unique way of doing things." He mulled it over in his head. While he disliked the woman that was sitting carelessly on his desk he agreed to what she was getting at; it doesn't hurt to be too well prepared. He sighed.

"Very well, but only for a little while. During that time you are to construct it to understand its place when it's in the presences of highly revered humans. Those two idiots may have compensated for their past failures but it has now come to my attention that some things in Team Rocket can no longer stay the way they are."

"Hmm…and here I thought we could never see eye to eye." He continued to stare at her sternly before simply nodding.

She got up to walk out the door but stopped to say, "Kalos wasn't a mishap…it was an opportunity."

* * *

Giovanni was no fool, he knew what her intentions of this temporary arrangement were going to entail. However, it was like she said…Yumiko always produced the best outcomes for him.

 _"Kalos…an opportunity?"_ He scoffed at the idea but if she wants to waste valuable time on that Pokémon then he won't stop her. Yumiko follows the beat of her own drums anyway so might as well save his energy for someone else. Despite the small set backs due to Team Blade; Team Rocket is entering a new age thanks to him. As for any signs of traitors or moles there hasn't been much of anything except for the usual wannabe trainers who think they can take Team Rocket down on their own. This made him think about the boy Ryuu recommended to the junior class but he liked Ryuu's reasoning. The boy will be monitored closely and would entice Team Blade to come out of hiding giving Team Rocket the upper hand.

Giovanni eyed the door that allowed individuals to enter his office. He remembered the days when Drill Sargent Viper came in filled with gusto due to the excellent students that were in the field agent training program. One of them being Ryuu who was an outsider looking to make a name for himself. Out of everyone Ryuu was at the top of his class in everything. His desires were to serve Team Rocket and it showed greatly. So much so that Giovanni himself had to see the man with amazing results in person. He watched the man battle, fly through the training tracks and ace every simulation. Everyone gathered around Ryuu whenever they can. Why wouldn't they? The man is intelligent, modest, strong and overall a well-rounded agent. In record time it was no surprise to anyone that Ryuu became a special op agent and a close aide to Giovanni. Over the years that Ryuu has worked for Team Rocket more and more people started to join. Everyone in Team Rocket was more motived because of him. As years went by Ryuu's reputation as a successful agent turned him into the model agent for Giovanni's Team Rocket. Like his mother who had Miyamoto he has Ryuu who in his opinion surpassed the greats like Miyamoto and Yumiko combined.

Yumiko he thought Granted as much as he tries to put her down he just can't deny that woman is in a class of her own. Kalos was an opportunity? How? According to Meowth's testimony, it seemed that they had an outing for Meowth, a Pokémon that is technically wild. From what his top agents and Ryuu have been able to gather it was decided that it would be best to limit the Rocketeers from traveling out to far. It wasn't clear as to what really happened in Kalos. Whether or not Meowth was left alone on purpose or their plans were unsuccessful was a theory he had no time or any cares to truly think about it. At the end of the day as much as he disliked the outdated practices of Rocketeers, he couldn't deny that those untamable beasts are his best commodities. Even that Meowth was once a rising star in its own right. He turned his attention to his Persian who was sleeping peacefully near his desk. He had to admit his Persian has gotten lazy as he thought about the little Meowth that he once dismissed long ago.

"When a star falls from the sky it loses it light." He mumbled to himself causing his Persian to stir. It opened its eyes half way to look at its master.

"Do you think a fallen star can reach the skies above?" Persian titled its head out of curiosity not sure what its master was saying. Giovanni then returned his gaze onto the grand view of mountains stretching as far as the eyes can see. He thought about that little Meowth he dismissed long ago. It's different somehow…different to the point where he can no longer deny that its story in Kalos was in fact true. The truth however angered him greatly.

* * *

Author Notes:

My Sin: I know the games and anime don't mix. But hopefully you'll like Silver's addition into the mix of Rockets.

Okay so Miyamoto being Jessie's Mom makes sense but James's parents?

Well like I have written a few times in the story...its been mentioned that there are investors and other people who give Team Rocket money. Like I said in previous notes my intentions are to expand the world of Team Rocket. (In a kid-friendly manner of course) About James's parents, I don't know what they said in the original Japanese and I don't know if what they said coming out of the coffin was just their way of saying they know what he has been doing or they were apart of Team Rocket at one point. I haven't watched the show in a long time but that was one of my favorite episodes which is why I remember them saying something along the lines of the Team Rocket motto. I want to say that at least in the english version there's room for speculation. So when it comes to their influence in the story it has room for speculation as well.


	7. A Bowl of Soup for the Soul

Edit: I just released I addressed Dr. Zager as Dr. Zamba...I don't know why I think I was confusing mixing the two names Zager and Namba...the scientist that Jessie and James works for is Dr. Zager not Zamba.

Author Notes:

In case your wondering...yes the title of this chapter is a play on the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books. The rough draft title was "soup for a rocket's soul" but decided that wasn't quite right.

Youvarlakia: This is a Greek dish that is mainly meatballs and rice in a heavy egg-lemon sauce. I don't state anything about the dish itself other than the flavor because honestly like the rest of you I'm still confused as to where they get their meat from. I mean we all seen those tables with meat products, right?

Time Skip: There will be a time skip and time rewind in this chapter. I did it for comical reasons...its not super funny but it works.

As for the timing in general: I looked over what I have posted so far and what is coming down the road and to me as the writer I get it but I'm hoping the timing of what goes on is not to hard to follow for you the reader. Since this is mostly a two sided story most of the separate events are happening simultaneously or at the very least one day apart from each other in the order that it is written. I'm bringing this up now because as I reread this chapter and when I added the time skip it made me think about the timing in general. So I think it would be best to explain the rest down below.

Chapter 7: A Bowl of Soup for the Soul

* * *

The end of the year rituals are stressful for everyone in Team Rocket as Yumiko walked causally through the halls watching all the members run around franticly. Evaluations, tests, updates and all sorts of work is mandatory to be completed before entering a new phase. The executives would have all the grunts working under them stay overnight for weeks on end to meet their end of the year goals. Field agents from the elite to the lower ranked class are luckier compared to grunts. Agents have their fair share of heavy workloads but were free to loiter around the mess hall and lounges. Yumiko figured that Jessie and James might be relaxing in one of the lounge rooms awaiting their next trail of demands. She guessed right as she saw the two slumped on the long sectional couch watching T.V. with tiresome eyes.

"Jessie! James!" The two tilted their heads up to see the tall charismatic woman making her way towards them.

"Yumiko…" They both said.

"How's the end of the year procedures treating you so far?"

"Well I'm sure you've heard already about the scene Meowth caused." Jessie said tiredly.

"The boss wasn't happy and is making us retake our team evaluation. We haven't even begun our individual assessments." James whined.

"Oh, that sounds awful." Yumiko sympathized with them.

"You know what you two need…a break. Let's head over to my place and have some fun." She winked.

"But we can't leave yet." James reminded her.

"Jessie, James." Someone called for them. They turned to see it was Pierce making his way towards them.

"Dr. Zager is ready to see you, come with me." After repeating his order in a stern manner he then realized who was standing right before him.

"Ms. Yumiko?" He was starstruck as she looked at him coolly before addressing him.

"The name's Pierce, correct?"

"Uh…yes I work closely with Dr. Zager. I'm sorry for interrupting but he is requesting their presence."

"That won't be happening." Yumiko stated causally.

"Dr. Zager is a reasonable scientist compared to the others, I'm sure he was going to discuss setting up times for when each of you can take a break. But I have something far more important that concerns these two. Tell Dr. Zager that they will return in the morning." Jessie and James were shocked by the strange turn of events as Pierce was somewhat speechless.

"I could always tell him myself." Yumiko suggested.

"Uh…no that won't be necessary." Pierce quickly responded before bowing respectively then walked away. Yumiko returned her attention onto Jessie and James, they were dumbfounded as to what just happened. Somehow Yumiko saved them from work!

"Looks like you're free now." She stated happily.

"You're amazing!" They exclaimed.

"Hey maybe Ryuu should join us." James suggested.

"No, No." Yumiko stopped him; "Being an elite officer requires responsibility. Don't worry, I'm sure there will be plenty of times for you guys to have fun together." She stated coolly.

"Now if I remember correctly the garden is out this way."

* * *

Meowth was leaning against the trunk of the willow tree that it tried to take a nap under. It was trying hard to relax but that strange dream kept coming back into its mind.

 _"It was just a dream and yet it felt so real...like I was in a different place."_ Meowth's ears began to twitch as it heard the sounds of its friends walking towards it. It was shocked to see that out of all the people Yumiko was accompanying them.

"Yumiko?" It mumbled to itself.

"What's Yumiko doing here?" It asked loudly.

"Is that how you greet your friends?" She chastised. "Now let's go and have some fun!"

" _Fun?"_

* * *

"Drink, Drink and be Merry!" Yumiko shouted happily as she encouraged Jessie and James to loosen up.

Yumiko is such a strange human, she's so happy and carefree but there was always something off about her. Meowth thought about it further and it wasn't how Ryuu made it feel. Ryuu's presence felt cold while Yumiko was warm but there was always a sense about her that felt like she had something up her kimono's long sleeves. Meowth decided not to dwell on it any longer, a Ryuu free evening was something to enjoy. The little get together at Yumiko's house was much like last time. They ate a feast of all sorts of good foods and desserts. The humans gossiped about the latest news and Meowth felt quite content with this setup. Just something about this room, the people and the Pokémon like Cutiefly, Wobbuffet...it all felt so warm.

* * *

 *****Fast-Forward a Few Days*****

Training at the Team Rocket academy was the same nonstop torture. However Ash started to take Pikachu out with him more often. He felt bad having to leave his buddy in his dorm room all day and battling sessions were not as frequent as he had hoped. He figured it wasn't like Pikachu was going to bother anyone and its not like anyone cared that he wishes to be a Pokémon master so…why not? He gradually started to take Pikachu to a few classes and eventually Pikachu was back where it was always supposed to be and that was on his shoulder. Just as he thought, no one seemed to care and as time went on he has seen a few others have their Pokémon out with them from time to time. However there were some classes where the instructors required that Pokémon be in their poke balls due to a Pokémon being a distraction for other students and the teachers themselves. They would give Ash odd looks when he told them that his Pikachu prefers staying out of its poke ball with him. Luckily, Kenji would suggest that the room next door was usually empty and that Pikachu could wait for him in there. Kenji released his Zubat along with Jeanne releasing her Emolga so that Pikachu wouldn't be lonely. Ash was blown away by their generosity, but still kept in mind what he was really there for.

* * *

Ash was walking back to his dorm room with his latest score card in hand and the scores were not good. He knows that his just undercover and its not like he really wants to join Team Rocket but honestly no one could be proud of these scores. A few days have gone by and Ash really wanted to get started on his journey to obtain all the badges but unfortunately he would have to wait till the next break to do so.

 _"Being undercover really stinks!"_

"Hey Ashwin, you hungry?" Kenji asked from behind, he unintentionally looked over Ash's shoulders and noticed the bad scores.

"Ooo those are some kakos scores." He stated.

"Kakos?"

"It means bad. I'm surprised though I thought the Drill Sargent gave you extra work so you could improve during the break." Ash thought about it and that maybe he should do a little bit of the work on his own. The large packets of paperwork have ceased since his return from their first short break but every now and then the class would have small assignments to turn in the next day and Ash continued to follow through with Hitoshi's plans by giving the paperwork to him.

"I have an idea." Kenji broke through Ash's train of thought.

"How about the next time you need help on any of the assignments just ask. We're all in this team together after all." Ash thought about it but wasn't really sure if he should take him up on that offer. He's supposed to give them to Hitoshi but maybe it would be better to try some of the homework himself. It could help him to understand the classes more. Its not like he really wants to join but slacking off wasn't really helping him either.

"We're all going to hang out in my room and enjoy a big bowl of Youvarlakia. You should come join us."

"Yo…v…kia?"

"Ha, Ha, Ha! You-va-lakia, its something that I can make on a hot plate."

"Oh…I could eat." "Pika, Pika."

* * *

A few days spent at home and staying overnight in a Pokémon center made the dorm rooms feel unnecessarily small. Everyone had their own room that had a bed, a desk a small closet and not a lot of walk space. Each room had a balcony of its own which was nice and the building itself had bathrooms to share. Kenji had the hot plate with a big pot on top outside on his balcony while the two of them waited for the others to show up. Ash looked around the room and saw a big poster of what looked like an old map of a city. The writing was written in a different language but from what he could tell it was a city situated in the mountains. On Kenji's desk there were some pictures of small children, two of them looked like Kenji and Nicholas, they were all holding small Pokémon while an old man with a thin white beard watched over them. In the background it looked like they were on some grassy bank near water for there was large waterfalls behind them.

"When the seasons start to change we would all gather by the great waterfalls." Kenji spoke up from behind, "Satoru, would then tell us all sorts of stories about the Pokémon, the stars and much, much more. The Pokémon especially seemed to enjoy the stories."

"Is Satoru some sort of Pokémon professor?"

"A professor? Uh…I don't think Satoru could be classified as such. You see he's the leader of…"

"Kenji!" In came Nicholas as he warned his childhood friend. "You don't just go telling some xenos about stuff like that!"

"Would you quit calling me that!?" Nicholas eyed the pesky newcomer as he closed in on him.

"Xenos! Xenos! Xenos!" He shouted even louder to which Ash was fuming while Kenji couldn't help but watch the two bickering loud mouths.

"Geez, Nicholas we were able to here you two from the main entrance." Jeanne came in along with Erin.

* * *

The girls were able to calm the boys down and after some time past dinner was ready and it looked amazing. It smelled amazing, as the citrus was the strongest of all. Ash was given a bowl with a few slices of bread. The lemon was very strong but as he took a bite the tartness was just right. It was a thick yellow sauce with rice and other ingredients and all of it was delicious. Kenji told him that the bread was for dipping and the savory tart flavor with the perfect slice of bread was simply satisfying. A long break was coming up and they all talked about what they were going to be doing during that time. Erin was super excited about exploring some abandon places that she heard were haunted while the others didn't really have much plans except for training or going home. They asked Ash which gyms he was planning on going to first and then he told them about his friends Misty and Brock. For some reason being in this tight space with them all whiling eating a good meal felt like a typical day with his friends. They even suggested that they should all make time so they can see one of his gym battles. He's practically the best one at the academy and it's always a thrill to watch him in action. A gym battle could be ten times better.

"Unless it's against Silver, I'm not interested." Nicholas said, bringing down the mood a little but the group quickly moved on. Aside from Nicholas constantly bringing him down, Ash was starting to like hanging out with them. They even gave him some tips on how to manage his time between the tournament and the academy.

* * *

There were some knocks on the door from time to time; it was a few other trainees from different classes as well as the junior class. All of them came in for the same reason and that was because of the delicious smells that drifted through the halls and they asked if they could have a bowl. At times the room was at full capacity as more stragglers popped in for a free meal or to just chat about their day and share common interests. The conversations spanned from laughing over some jokes to expressing what was stressing them out. It was odd but it sort of felt like everyone was one big dysfunctional family that was more than willing to make room so Ash can feel apart of it. Somehow being in this room full of soon-to-be Team Rocket agents felt serene. Was it the soup? Somehow being in this tight space with little to no elbowroom with all these people felt warm. Why?

Eventually as the crowd died down and it was just the five of them again, another knock was heard but the person didn't even wait as he opened the door himself. It was Shiro, the resident assistant and assistant trainer to Drill Sargent Viper. According to everyone at the academy, Shiro is a well-rounded field agent himself but decided to come back to the school to help train new recruits. He was one of the few who wore the white uniform…actually it was more of a custom made outfit. Instead of the long sleeved shirt and gloves, it was a sweat jacket that had a little red 'R' over the heart. He wore it unzipped with nothing but his tone abs underneath. He wore the typical white slacks but forgoed the boots for sneakers.

"Hey," The tall man with brown spiky hair said coolly. He walked in causally as he sat in between the blushing girls.

"Give me a bowl would yay." He said coolly as he played with his toothpick.

"Didn't you eat while you were at headquarters?" Nicholas asked as Kenji handed the cool man a bowl.

"Like I'm not going to take opportunity of a free meal." He answered.

"Hey," He then took notice of Ash and Pikachu.

"That's a Pikachu." He reached over to pet the top of Pikachu's head. He was a little rough but Pikachu got through it.

"You must be the newcomer that everyone's told me about. Ashwin right? The name's Shiro. I guess you probably wouldn't know me all to well since I've been at headquarters most of the time." He kept going on in a laidback tone.

"No, we met during orientation. You helped me move into my room." Shiro looked at him as if he were clueless to what Ash was talking about.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

"Yo, the name's Shiro and I'll be your RA. During your time here you'll be training to please the big guy at HQ and most of you…will fail." Everyone groaned to themselves as Shiro spoke carelessly in a laidback tone.

"But if you ever need help with some extra training…I guess I could make some free time for you." All the people that gathered here disgusted Ash. He couldn't believe that so many people would be so willing to sign up.

"Oh and remember to use common sense when it comes to having your Pokémon roam free." Ash got the room key and flyer that had his room number listed from Shiro. He went in search for the room but was having trouble in finding it. It was room number 2525 so he figured it would be on the second floor but all the room numbers were in the single digits. It turned out that he was in the wrong building, he was surprised to discover that there were quiet a few dorm buildings.

It was nightfall and Ash still couldn't find his room. Tired and hungry he was sort of ready to quit this farce as he sat defeated in the lounge of one of the many wrong dorm buildings.

"Hey, that's a Pikachu." A laidback voice got his attention. He looked up to see it was the RA Shiro with his spiky brown hair and unzipped sweat jacket with the Team Rocket logo on it. He reached out and petted Pikachu on the head, he was a little rough but Pikachu survived.

"You look lost." Ash got up with Pikachu in his arms ready to leave. There was no point in sticking around, while he understood Hitoshi's plan to save all the Pokémon and to destroy Team Rocket for good…this plan just wasn't working for him. Just being surrounded by Rockets constantly was grueling in itself.

"Giving up already?" Shiro asked as he watched Ash walk away, noticing the few belongings that Ash had packed for his stay. Ash didn't say anything; he didn't even give the courtesy to look Shiro in the eyes.

"I was once told a story about how a novice trainer failed at capturing his first Pokémon." Ash stopped to look at him. He was confused as to why a Rocket of all people would try to tell him a story.

"Long story short if the trainer gave up at that moment then he would have never became a great master." Shiro walked up to him and took the sheet with the room number on it.

"Oh, your in the same building as me."

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

"Hmm…doesn't ring a bell."

"You also gave me a cup of Raman that one time."

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

After another painful fail at the tracks that were filled with booby traps, Ash was crawling very slowly to get back to his room and collapse. His stomach was growling loudly for he was beyond starving too. He walked into his room where he was greeted by Pikachu and collapsed onto his bed. He was too tired that he forgot to shut the door.

"What's that sound?" A voice asked from the halls. In came the tall RA looking all laidback.

"Hey, that's a Pikachu." He said as he petted it roughly. He heard the strange sound again and discovered that it was Ash's stomach growling. He left the room and a few minutes past, he came back in with Raman cups for the both of them.

"You should have stocked up on food before you came here. Its not like the cafeteria is always open."

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

"Nope...honestly when you're a field agent you don't really have time to remember all the trivial things. I've been so busy going back and forth from HQ since it's almost the end of the year."

"What? We just had New Year's."

"Ohh…that's right you're from the outlands. I was just at one of those cool parties too." Shiro reminisced about some good times all the while Ash was still left in the dark.

"Speaking of headquarters, is it true? Did it really happen?" Nicholas asked preventing anyone to be able to enlighten the confused Ash.

"Heh…you talking about that scuffle between Ryuu and Meowth?"

" _Meowth?"_ Ash questioned as Nicholas nodded.

"I got to hand it to that little fur ball, it certainly knows how to get the buzz going."

"What happened?" Ash asked. Shiro cleared his throat.

"You maybe the greatest agent around but just so you know," Shiro paused as he stood up using his spoon to point upwards aimlessly.

"I Don't Like You!" Shiro didn't shout the last line but he said it with enough force to drive the point home.

"Sounds like you were there." Erin stated causally.

"He, He, it was pretty loud." Shiro chuckled as he sat back down.

"It really said that? Those words exactly?" Ash questioned. Shiro nodded as he noticed Kenji was silent during the conversation taking it all in.

"What cha thinking?"

"The challenges that a Pokémon faces are probably something that I will never be able to understand. I can't even imagine what the challenges that a Pokéteer must face in order to become limitless. They are extraordinary creatures but Pokéteers can't shine when they have no ambition guiding them. When we ran into it last time I couldn't help but notice that something must have revitalized the flames that reside in those eyes of water. Flames that many thought including myself were gone for good." He ended it on a happier note as he eyed his impatient friend Nicholas.

"We just need to be patient. The fire must be able to breath if you want it to grow."

"Hmm…" Shiro listened causally as he enjoyed his meal while the girls nodded in agreement. Ash however, while intrigued about the matter couldn't help but contemplate on where he stood in all of this. Nicholas growled frustratingly.

"Still, I honestly don't understand that Pokémon. Having Ryuu on that team is like the best thing that could have happened to it."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked to which Nicholas scowled.

"I mean that it should be taking advantage of the situation and ask Ryuu to train it."

"So can it learn attacks? I was walking with it to Viridian City and it said it can't learn any since it can talk." Shiro chuckled to himself at the notion as Nicholas answered in an aggravated tone.

"Of course it can learn attacks. It's a Pokémon it's in its blood."

"Do you know which moves it knows already?" Ash questioned even though he has witnessed its use of flash and fury swipes. But he hasn't seen it do anything since it rejoined Team Rocket. Meowth's incredible speed was as if he dreamt it. It wasn't until their last confrontation in Viridian Forest that it was uncatchably fast. Thinking about when he lost it in Viridian Forest had him quickly go back to the times in Kalos. When it battled that trainer at the school…it was amazing.

Then for some reason his mind quickly changed course, reminding him of a not so thrilling moment but rather a terrifying one. They were in the mountains walking across a rickety bridge with some of the wood planks missing. Meowth ran on ahead and shouted for them to hold on. Mere seconds later the bridge collapsed and slammed them into the rock wall. He didn't know it at the time but Meowth's shoulder was injured. It didn't wait for their help; instead it climbed the bridge like it was a ladder…it was injured and yet…

"Let's see…" Nicholas and Kenji brainstormed but Ash quickly raised a hand to stop them.

"Stop, Stop. I'd rather discover it for myself."

"Really?" Nicholas questioned.

"If I want to become a true Pokémon master then I shouldn't relay on taking any backdoors." He said humbly. Nicholas observed him for a moment for he was taken back by the sudden change. It was brief but he felt that he could respect the xenos a little more than he did before.

"Hmm, it's too bad how things turned out." Shiro interjected coolly. "I was hoping to borrow it from those two before the end of the year festivities."

"What for? Rocketeers are restricted from leaving Kanto." Nicholas stated.

"Ah…but you forget the casinos in Celadon City. It really is too bad. I haven't seen it at HQ since then." He told the juniors, "I guess it's for the best. A lot of people are not to happy right now."

* * *

 *****Rewind a Few Days Back*****

"I have a great idea! Why don't you let Meowth stay with me for awhile still this whole outburst with Ryuu cools off."

"WHAT!" Meowth snapped.

"That's a great idea…CHEERS!" Jessie and James exclaimed as if a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

"No wait…don't I get a say in this!" Meowth cried in horror.

"Don't worry, you'll have loads of fun here." Yumiko said reassuringly. Meowth cringed at the thought as he then looked around the room that was getting dirtier by the minute.

* * *

Author Notes:

So hopefully you understand that the scenes with Yumiko being in Giovanni's office in the previous chapter to the end of this chapter is that they happened a couple of days before Ash's friendly soup night. I know I've mentioned in the story itself a few times when a few days past for the characters but I felt like I had to make this clear just in case.

Jessie and James:

I know that it may seem out of character for Jessie and James to hand over Meowth so easily. I forget which season it was...it was one of the few newer episodes I just happened to stumble upon at the time because I guess nothing was on and I needed some background noise. I think it was the diamond and pearl series...IDK...anyways it was about Jessie and James running into an old friend who owns a Raman shop and he says that Meowth would do great working for him and they immediately turn him down. Originally I was going to have that happen here and then have Yumiko trick them...the reason why she would do so and not tell them Giovanni gave the okay are reasons for another chapter. At the end of the day it didn't really make sense to me that they would turn her down when they are tired and stressed out. I remember Jessie and James as goofballs, they have their moments but don't really think things through which is why Meowth a Pokemon is their mechanic and always trying to keep them in line.

Pierce and Dr. Zager are characters from the Pokemon series. From what I understand Pierce is an agent himself but is a close assistant to the Rocket Scientist Dr. Zager. Again I haven't seen the show and I'm just going by what I read and by their character designs. Dr. Zager seemed stern yet reasonable and Pierce just looked like a no-fun, no-gags type of guy. So hopefully my perception of them was close enough. From what we know there seems to be an interesting coworker relationship between agents and the scientists and in this story I'm going to be exploring that relationship a little further.


	8. The Grand Chase

Author Notes:

The Sun and Moon:

In the first story I wrote I said the reason why I started to post this story was because of the new game titles being Sun and Moon. For years I had this story in my warped head about how the sun and moon could make an interesting connection to the Pokemon Universe. The story you will read in this chapter is a very, very, very, brief introduction to the legend. It is quick and it has a lot of holes in it because at the end of the day these characters know it so what you'll be getting is only footnotes...and yes from what is given in this chapter it sounds loopy but hey there is no logic when it comes to folklore...and fanfics ;)

Chapter 8: The Grand Chase

* * *

"Long ago in a world covered in darkness an encounter unlike any other happened. A young man searching for meaning in his life stumbled upon a creature, a creature that had within it a pure white light. He was fascinated by it…he wanted it but the creature was too quick, disappearing along with its light. The young man found his purpose and it was to find that unique creature once again. The chase was on; the young man along with his closest friend who guided him went out on a journey together to find the bearer of white light once again. The chase soon became a game to them, sometimes the young man would find it and other times the creature would playfully surprise him. The young man saw things clearly…he found meaning in his life thanks to the creature. Together they…"

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah…I know the story." Meowth interrupted as he was scrubbing away the mess that was left behind by his so-called friends. "The creature was a Pokémon and the man was the first Pokémon master."

"So I guess you know how it ends."

"Ugh…yes the Pokémon died then the man felt bad so he died too…The End!"

"Your lack of appreciation is disheartening. That story is the very foundation of how this world came to be."

"I know that!"

"Then I'll be brief…the ending is the best part after all." She stated casually, "When the Pokémon past on it dissolved into orbs of light that rose to the skies forming the giant moon. The man soon followed becoming the bright warm sun. By shining his own light he will always be able to find the Pokémon that carried the pure white light. To this day they continue on with their never ending chase."

"Tch…"

"Why such contempt? It's quiet the lovely tale."

"That's just it! It's just a fairytale! I don't care for such stories and they get boring after being told them a thousand times."

"What if I told you that Pokémon was the first Pokéteer?" Meowth paused to look at her. "I see Satoru never told you that part, did he? I wouldn't hold that against him, he probably thought you would be smart enough to figure that part out yourself."

"The moon was a Pokéteer?"

"It certainly would explain your attachment to it. But like you said they're just a bunch of boring stories with no purpose."

* * *

A couple of days have past and according to Yumiko the buzz around Team Rocket was that Meowth should apologize for disrespecting Ryuu. It couldn't be helped Meowth's little sideshow was in the mess hall during peak hours. Not to mention it was pretty loud too. But there was no way Meowth was going to do such a thing. It was true; Meowth truly didn't like Ryuu so apologizing for something that won't change seemed stupid.

After Meowth would blatantly refuse such an idea Yumiko would then jokingly say, "I guess your rehabilitation with me will just have to continue as planned."

She would smile before laughing it off as if it were a joke. On a serious note she would then say, "Luckily for you, this little mishap of yours happened when it did. People are so busy with the end of the year rituals it will only be a matter of time for everyone to just move on."

As Yumiko would put it, some time away from all the commotion would make it easier for everyone to cool off. Meowth was free to leave at anytime but at the end of the day Meowth didn't really want to deal with anyone right now. Rumors travel fast in Team Rocket so hopefully some time away will have the rumors die down.

 _"If I hear one more idiot suggest that I should let Ryuu train me…I'll…I'll"_ Meowth grew increasingly angry as it was scrubbing the floor. Yumiko was drinking her tea while the teapot on the table started to crack.

She brushed a delicate finger over the crack wondering to herself, _"Hmm, interesting."_

 *****Crash*****

Meowth didn't realize it but once he got his anger out of his system he looked down to see that he slammed his paw into the wooden floor and that his claws made a new hole.

"Gahh!"

"Tsk…Tsk…and to think you already fixed the floor after Jessie and James left." Yumiko stated causally.

"Ohhh!" Meowth whined as it begrudgingly fixed the floor…again. Bottom line the majority of Team Rocket was not happy with Meowth's act of defiance towards someone like Ryuu. At the end of the day it's a Pokémon not a human and Yumiko loved pointing that out. Meowth didn't understand why because it wasn't upset about being a Pokémon in fact it was quiet the opposite. Either way doing Yumiko's slave work was preferable compared to the alternative.

* * *

Yumiko would always give Meowth some mundane task to do around the house or to go get some plant that was growing in the meadows or forests nearby. Sometimes she would say something along the lines that Meowth is to be retrained in the manners of knowing what his place is in life. She would say it in a humorous tone as if she were mocking someone.

At least that's what it sounded like to Meowth because then after she had a few laughs she would quickly say, "If you let others decide what your place is in life then that is what it will be without your consent."

Meowth would then head out and Cutiefly would always accompany it, latching onto his koban whenever it could. Meowth got used to it and he didn't really mind, Cutiefly's company was quite nice. When Meowth returned from wherever Yumiko sent him out to go get, Meowth would follow her into the room with the giant cauldron and watch her make…well it was an assortment of things, but it was mostly natural medicine such as potions and elixirs.

"Hey, I remember Jessie making that once." Meowth stated as he noticed the similar herbs that were going in to make a strong potion.

"Well it was I who taught her a thing or two." Yumiko responded.

"Oh, so I guess you two must go way back. She always wanted to be a nurse, she technically failed but in a way she became our nurse instead."

"Looking back on it now I'm sure she sees that passing the Pokémon nurse school would have not served her well in the long run. I'm glad because the last thing this world needs is another Silph Co. slave."

"Yeah, Pokémon Centers do have an unnatural air about them and their potions don't make me feel nearly as good compared to the natural stuff we use in Team Rocket." Yumiko continued to mix the ingredients as Meowth watched. For the past few days Meowth continued to help Yumiko and watch her mix natural potions. Meowth missed being with Jessie and James, it wasn't like he couldn't go see them but it wasn't the same anymore. The chores and the little errands here or there were mundane but at least…he was not here.

* * *

Meowth was scrubbing the floor…again while Yumiko was lounging about in the room.

"You really don't like change at all do you?" She broke their silence.

"Not even when it benefits you in the long run?" Meowth stops to look at her unsure where she was going with this.

"Your free to leave at anytime…I'm not forcing you to do all the work but yet here you stay. It bothers you that they don't know what really happened, this cold feeling that you now feel…this feeling that has replaced your overall comfort with them changed. What happened in the past can not be undone and now this change has taken form and is a constant reminder of what will never be." Meowth wanted her to stop…he wanted to cry but pushed back his own feelings trying to ignore this woman.

"Day becomes night; winter becomes spring…all of it changes from one to the other over and over again."

"So all I would have to do is wait for spring."

"Wrong." She quickly responded.

"The natural order of things maybe a cycle of change but that doesn't mean its all the same. Just like there's no two identical snowflakes, there are no two springs that are the same. Wanting to keep things the way they are because it was happier times are innocent endeavors but its unnatural." Is it her goal to tear every last hope he has down? If so she was succeeding.

"But Ryuu's stay in our team is only temporary. So its not like what I'm hoping for is unreachable." Meowth spoke softly, feeling that this was its last attempt for a happy ending.

"Temporary? Let me give you a little history lesson on what the word _'temporary'_ means in the realm of Team Rocket. The job of an agent used to be a solo act. After Miyamoto's disappearance it was temporarily changed for there to always be two agents working together as a team. That temporary change hasn't gone away since then. In fact other teams followed suit and started doing the same thing. This temporary change of having three in a team will most likely stay for a long time. The use of the word _'temporary'_ is to set the minds at ease; if it were to be stated as permanent then everyone would question it. As time goes on that temporary change becomes ingrained. Changing it back to what it used to be would seem unnatural. The idea that the change was only temporary is no longer on anyone's mind and therefore everyone has been conditioned to accept it as if it were always like that since the beginning. That is exactly what Giovanni wants." She spoke calmly as she attacked his last bit of hope.

"Ryuu was placed on your team for a reason and it was solely because of you. Giovanni will never admit it to anyone but Team Blade has placed Team Rocket on the defense after your little Kalos adventure. Think about it, these temporary changes were quite drastic in nature if they were to be permanent everyone would be entering into the new year filled with doubts and uncertainty for the future of Team Rocket. Whatever the outcome that comes from this war against Team Blade, Team Rocket will never be the same again." Meowth squeezed the wet rag between his paws at that notion. Why…why must it all end? So…that must mean…fighting it would just be pointless, right?

"So…" Meowth mumbled, "There's no other way." It rested its paws over its tearful eyes, "I have to…accept it...all."

"Do you accept the fact that the ocean will always make waves to hit our shores?" She asked, it was a strange question but Meowth nodded while still covering its tearful eyes.

"Then that's all you must accept. What really counts is what you do with the waves."

"I don't get it." Meowth mumbled sorrowfully.

"And your no where near done cleaning the floor." Yumiko quickly changed the subject. "Now hop to it." She said cheerfully, "The quicker you go the more fun it will be." She hummed.

* * *

 _"_ _Sounds...like water…"_ _Meowth heard the water gently splashing against something unfamiliar._

 _"Sounds of water…rippling through my body."_ _It felt like Meowth was resting on a bed of water as he visualized tiny droplets falling repeatedly, creating ripples that expanded away from his body. It was a tranquil sound so Meowth calmly allowed the vibrations to ripple._

 _"So…so soothing." Meowth thought, as his eyes remained closed so he could sleep. But what about the water that was gently splashing, what was that? It was gentle yet somehow rough as it thrashed against something unfamiliar._

 _"Waves?" Meowth thought, could these soft yet loud splashing sounds be waves? They were…back and forth they went. Covering the shores with its cool sea foam before returning, sometimes splashing roughly against the boulders that made the rocky shores. But Meowth didn't know where these waves were coming from. Were they above him? Back and forth the waves kept coming…its what they do…its what they always do. Back and forth, back and forth…Meowth continued to listen as the waves continued their dance by splashing against the rocky shores over and over again._

* * *

Yumiko was in need of energy roots again so Meowth was sent out to collect some in the open field near by and was accompanied by Cutiefly who fluttered about joyously. Sometimes they weren't alone for the field would have wild Pokémon enjoying the open scenery. However Cutiefly's outgoing nature of wanting to get closer to the bright auras of the other Pokémon always caused a few adversities. There were two Sunflora this time, filled with buzzing excitement Cutiefly rushed over and latched onto one of the Sunflora's petals.

"Cuuu!" It chimed. Startled at first the Sunflora it was attached to regained its composer and quickly batted Cutiefly away in very harsh manner.

"Sun, Sunflora!" _**(Get off of me!)**_

"Hey!" Meowth stepped up.

"You didn't have to be mean about it!" The two Sunflora stared at Meowth for a moment then turned away in disgust.

"Sun, Sun." _**(What a freak.)**_ One whispered to the other who nodded in agreement as they walked away, leaving the two discarded Pokémon alone in the field.

"Are you okay?" Meowth asked the poor little bug Pokémon brushing off the harsh comments about himself rather quickly. Meowth was used to that sort of treatment, he didn't need to have a bad past with someone to be casted aside. Either Pokémon viewed him as unnatural as if he wasn't worthy of being deemed a Pokémon while others would try to control him for their own personal gain. It was rare to be amongst Pokémon who accepted him, not even the majority of Rocketeers liked him but if Meowth was honest with himself he had an idea that there was more to it than just his ability to talk in the human language.

"Cuu, Cu, Cu, Cuu, Cu, Cu." _**(Aura has such a warm glow; I just love the bright lights of the aura that lives inside of humans and Pokémon.)**_ It fluttered about above Meowth's head as the sparkling dust from its body filled the air. Cutiefly then latched itself to Meowth's koban as it snuggled against the warmth it provided.

"Cuu, Cu, Cuu." _**(I'm so happy that I can be near this warm light.)**_

* * *

"Meowth, I need you to go to Vermilion City for me." Yumiko requested, "There's a Clefairy doll that I need you to retrieve from the Pokémon Fan Club."

"What do you need a doll for?"

"That's not important just go get it and while your there grab some of those Lava cookies. I heard a stand just opened near the harbor. It's been so long since I've been to Lavaridge Town and I've been meaning to go there myself but just haven't had the time."

* * *

The Pokémon walked through the underground tunnels and appeared near Vermilion City's entrance.

"Pokémon Fan Club…do you know where that is?" Meowth asked the Cutiefly that was sitting comfortably on its koban.

"Cuuu!"

"That's too bad." Meowth sighed. Meowth felt strange as if he was receiving strange looks from humans passing by. He heard some whisper to each other about hearing him talk. Meowth nervously picked up the pace; it felt like prying eyes surrounded him.

 _"Walking around cities without Jessie and James sure is different."_ Meowth thought.

* * *

They walked through a construction sight and saw some Machoke taking a break.

"Hey, could you guys tell me where the Pokémon Fan Club is located?" The Machoke who were busy having a conversation amongst themselves stopped to look at the small cream-colored feline.

"Uh…the Pokémon Fan Club?" He repeated to which the tall muscular Pokémon continued to stare at him blankly before walking away. Meowth sighed as he mumbled, "So much for that…"

"Fur, Fur." _**(It's this way.)**_ Meowth heard a voice coming from afar. Meowth looked around but saw no one.

"Furfrou." _**(Up here.)**_ It looked up and saw Furfrou standing proudly on one of the steel beams that was about twenty feet high. Meowth watched Furfrou gracefully make its way down effortlessly by jumping from beam to beam and landing in front of him proudly as its tail wagged.

"Furfrou, Fur." _**(Shall we get going?)**_

* * *

"I've got to ask you…why are you here?" Furfrou looked at it calmly.

"Uh…I didn't mean it like that. Its just that we're in Kanto and uh…well how do I put this?" Meowth mumbled to itself desperately trying to find the right words.

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou." _**(I listen to the stars, they whisper to me and I follow.)**_

"Right…so are you a"

"Furfrou." _**(We're here.)**_ It interrupted him. "Fur, Furfrou." _**(I'm sure you can handle it from here.)**_

" _This feeling…"_ Meowth thought as it looked up at the logo that was on the building. _"This feeling…I…I"_

"Fur?" _**(Are you nervous?)**_

"Surprisingly no." Meowth answered softly.

 _"This feeling…I"_ It thought as the feeling felt like an ember that was once burnt out but was now starting to regrow.

 _"I…think I like it."_ It smirked to itself as if its past self has emerged from the darkness for this one heist.

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Fur." _**(We'll be waiting for you back at the construction site.)**_

Meowth took a deep breath before disappearing from the other Pokémon. He quickly ran towards the back of the building so he wouldn't be seen by anyone. The windows had wide ledges and the one on the third floor was open so Meowth made his way by jumping from window ledge to window ledge till he reached his desired destination. The room was dark and Meowth was able to hear that there were humans within the building. Meowth had to stop for a second for his heart was pounding heavily. Even his own body was starting to shake. Maybe he is nervous. He can't even remember the last time he did a heist on his own.

 _"But this feeling…"_ Meowth thought placing his paws over his fast beating heart. Was this feeling always nervousness? Was it not excitement? What did it feel like before back when it was top cat? This feeling always reawakened past memories. Meowth's mind was clouded with the images from the past. Images of the full moon behind him as he scurried from rooftop to rooftop. Was the top cat nervous all those times? Meowth had to sit down as he rested right where he was standing. Those memories…those dark memories were so heavy.

 _"I don't think I can do this."_ Meowth thought as tears threatened to come down. Quickly trying to rub the tears away but to no avail as they just kept coming. Meowth contemplated on his options, the idea of letting Yumiko down came to mind.

 _"But maybe she knew I couldn't do it."_ Meowth thought.

 _"Maybe I should give up."_ Something inside ached at that thought as Meowth remembered who was waiting for him to return.

 _"If I don't get the doll…if I just give up…what would Furfrou say?"_ It's always been helpful and it never treated Meowth like other Pokémon do. Whenever Furfrou was around Meowth felt at peace even in the beginning of its whole adventure in Kalos.

 _"If I give up…would Furfrou hate me?"_ Meowth gasped at the thought and quickly stood back up.

 _"I don't want that! But…its not like I want to return to being the top cat...do I?"_ Defeating that stupid Persian would definitely be a dream come true but as time went on Meowth started to enjoy Jessie and James' company to the point that becoming the top cat again wasn't as ideal anymore. Looking back on those days…they weren't happy at all…it wasn't happy at all…it wasn't until Jessie and James that it felt true happiness. Meowth sat back down, it seemed like it had all the time in the world in that dark room despite the humans that occupied the building.

 _"What do I do?"_ Meowth was at a loss; he looked out the window, which was dark since the sun's rays couldn't reach this side of the building. He wiped the last remaining tears away as he thought about it.

 _"Its not like I hate stealing...I love stealing. I love scheming."_ His mind took him back to the times when he learned about Team Oyama's perfect schemes in the mountains. He remembered the thrills he would always get doing a heist. He even recalled doing that little heist when he was in Cularo Town.

 _"That's right! I did that on my own. I did it all on my own."_ He remembered.

 _"In Cularo Town I was thinking about Jessie and James and how fun it would be if they were there too. I did it because I wanted to do it…for Team Rocket…this feeling…it's actually intoxicating! It's so exhilarating just thinking about all the heists and yet there's still a twinge of nervousness…but I don't think I really care…I Want To Do It!"_ Meowth lit up to the idea.

 _"I Want To Do It!"_ It repeated as the strange feeling felt normal.

 _"This feeling…I really like it!"_ Meowth got up and quickly exited the dark room.

* * *

Meowth wondered around the hallways while avoiding any human contact. It didn't seem like there were a lot of humans to begin with but Meowth was on high alert. The sounds of the human's shoes making contact with the wood floors echoed, they were just going about their day like always unaware of what was lurking in the shadows. Meowth's blood was boiling with excitement…its about to do real heist on its own…the doubts it had before seemed ridiculous now.

 _"Once I'm done with this I want to tell Jessie and James."_ It wasn't long till Meowth stumbled upon the room that had the doll in question. Meowth grabbed it and got out of the building the same way it got in.

 _"I did it!"_ Meowth thought excitedly as he ran back to Furfrou and Cutiefly.

 _"This feeling…I love it!"_ It was such a rush as Meowth's blood continued to boil with excitement.

* * *

Meowth made it back to the construction site and excitedly presented the Clefairy doll; he was practically on cloud nine right now.

"I Did It!"

"Cuu!" Cutiefly fluttered about joyously above the Pokémon.

"Furfrou, Furfrou." _**(Lets go to the beach.)**_ As they started to walk out of the construction site Meowth ignored the odd glares from the Machoke…he was used to it but being with Furfrou made the hardships much easier. Furfrou just seemed to be in a class of its own as it walked with pride in each step.

* * *

It was just the three Pokémon sitting together on the beach as they watched the sun start to set.

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou, Fur." _**(Don't you just love breathing in the ocean breeze as the sun says its goodbye to us.)**_ Furfrou stated as the waves that made it closer to shore were splashing gently against its paws.

"Furfrou, Fur, Fur, Furfrou, Furfrou." _**(He's in the middle of the chase. The moon is always running off so the sun must follow it. No one would have thought that this is how they would end up.)**_

"You know about that story?"

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Frou, Fur, Furfrou, Furfrou, Frou, Fur, Furfrou." _**(Let's just say that Team Rocket and Team Solaris have a lot in common.)**_

"Oh…but it's not like the story has a surprise ending. The outcome was pretty obvious."

"Furfrou Fur, Furfrou?" _**(But did they know?)**_ Meowth wasn't sure how to respond as Furfrou continued.

"Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou, Fur, Fur, Fur, Furfrou." _**(It's such a tragic story. Spending years of your life to be the very best only to find out that your destined for something else. It's because of their sacrifice that we as Pokéteers must always remember the importance of our roles in life no matter the alterations that come our way.)**_ Furfrou stopped, someone was approaching the Pokémon. They looked to see it was a construction worker and he had that hungry look in his eyes as if he spotted the perfect prey.

"I saw you hanging around the site earlier today. My girlfriend always wanted a Furfrou." He said.

Meowth turned to Furfrou and whispered, "Follow me I know where we could go."

"Machoke go!" He called out and it was one of the Machoke from before.

"Fur, Furfrou." _**(No, I want you to watch carefully.)**_ Furfrou stepped forward ready to battle.

The Machoke was ordered to use dynamic punch and it charged towards Furfrou who dodged the attack effortlessly. Its white fur started to glow; Furfrou was starting to use its flash giving it and pure white aura.

 _"If Furfrou is intending to blind Machoke than it should be brighter."_ Meowth thought since Furfrou only had a dim glow while dodging all the attacks. Meowth continued to watch as the construction worker continued to give orders while Furfrou continued to dodge ever single attack as if it were dancing gracefully.

 _"It's…it's amazing!"_ Meowth watched truly enamored by the Pokémon that's truly in a class of its own. Each move it made it was done effortlessly as if Furfrou had absolutely no fears. That the idea of capture wasn't even possible. It was like the sun itself will protect it from such a fate. It seemed like Furfrou was just having fun for a while as it stopped where it was closer to the water. The Machoke came charging with a Fire punch but instead of dodging Furfrou unleashed a giant wave by using surf. After Machoke was drenched, Furfrou finished it off with a zen headbutt. The construction worker was practically in shock; he obviously didn't think he would lose as he called back his Pokémon. Furfrou then changed its focus onto the man himself and started to growl, making it clear that Furfrou wasn't afraid to attack the human as well. The construction worker was smart enough to know that it was best to run away.

The white light that illuminated Furfrou's fur remained as it returned to its original spot that was on the shoreline where only a few waves were able to reach, splashing its paws ever so gently.

"Furfrou, Frou, Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur." _**(A Pokéteer's will is a beautiful thing that even the light from above must shine on us.)**_ Furfrou was watching the beautiful sunset over the horizon.

Meowth couldn't help but think, _"That battle…it was amazing…no that's not right it's Furfrou…Furfrou is amazing."_

Furfrou, Frou, Fur, Fur, Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou, Frou." _**(A true Pokéteer always follows the light of the skies. We are guided by the brilliance of the stars while the sun and moon shine their light to protect us. Their story is tragic and yet it's a beautiful reminder of free will.)**_

"I've never really thought of it that way." Meowth responded.

"I've been told that story a dozen of times so I never really considered it much. Humans have this word 'fairytale' which means a story that's not intended to be true. That's what I always thought about it…it's what I would always think about all the stories. But thinking that it was the moon's free will because it wanted to do it just like I want to do something is quite inspiring in itself." Meowth said happily as he felt warm as if his bond with the moon grew stronger with that thought in mind. Furfrou observed the scratch cat before it, taking in how it glowed nicely in the warm setting sunlight.

"Furfrou, Frou, Fur, Fur, Furfrou." ( _ **Rocketeer, promise me you'll keep your heart open to them.)**_ No words could make it through as Meowth simply nodded.

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou." _**(Good, no matter the destiny or the sacrifices we have to make the importance of our roles in life will always remain. It was the moon's own free will that led it to its destiny. The waves that it controls is to remind us of our own free will, because it takes a true Pokéteer to be the master of its own fate.)**_

"A true Pokéteer?" Furfrou nodded.

"Furfrou, Fur, Furfrou." _**(I do believe that our paths will cross again.)**_ Furfrou nodded its head once more before leaving Meowth and Cutiefly alone on the beach.

 _"A true Pokéteer…"_

* * *

Author Notes:

In the games you would occasionally find energy roots.

In the generation II games the copycat girl lost her Clefairy doll and you the player find it at the Pokemon Fan Club.

The Lava Cookies stand is another reference to the games. Originally I was going to have Furfrou and Meowth tag team it and get the cookies together and have them enjoy their snack on the beach but felt it was unnecessary for it was Furfrou's battle that was more important. Also I felt that if a character is awestruck then they wouldn't remember all their tasks.

Jessie knowing natural remedies and Silph Co.: This is a stretch I know. My reasons behind this is due to the fact that she wanted to be a nurse at one point. I would think that she didn't forget all the lessons she learned when it came to first aid so I decided that it only seemed reasonable that she would know how to make natural remedies. Yeah, natural remedies and evil organizations may seem like a stretch in itself but I have my reasons for this. One reason is that I don't really picture Team Rocket grunts going into a Pokemon Center on a regular basis. When it comes to how the Pokemon world works as in government and free healthcare etc. its all mostly fan theories and one popular theory which I kind of agree with and as you can tell it's implied in the story is that Silph Co. plays a part in the mainstream of things. So my thinking is that Giovanni is portrayed as a business man who wants to rule the world so putting money into Silph Co. products would be like helping your competition win. And you wouldn't want your followers to use your competition's products either so you must give them an alternative. The main reason why its mainly natural medicines is a reason for another chapter but I will leave you with this...Giovanni is all about invincible power and if it has been proven to him that natural medicine is better in the world of Pokemon then he wouldn't use second best...again I'm aware that it's still a stretch for his character and how he perceives Pokemon and the people that work for him...but hey this is a fanfic so its not like this story will be perfect.


	9. An Island's Challenge Part I

Author Notes:

It's Dr. Zager not Zamba

I made a huge error...I noticed in chapter 7 that I kept calling the scientist Dr. Zager by Dr. Zamba...I fixed that error in that chapter and I'm not sure if there are any other times where I said Zamba but the scientist's name is Dr. Zager. I don't know why I always called him Zamba, I think my brain was just putting Namba (another scientist) and Zager together and I always thought he was Zamba or I may have thought I typed Zager and didn't really notice until now. IDK...Sometimes I don't even understand my own brain.

Irimoya...this is explained in the story but its what you see on asian houses/shrines...so if your interested just google it. I guess the correct terminology in a pokemon story would be Kanto or Johto style seeing that's how the sun and moon games describes an old eastern style town but I wasn't familiar with that until recently and I think using Shinto shrine works for a general audience to get a point across.

Squash...I think this sport goes by other names but the general concept is that your playing against others by hitting a ball against the wall with rackets...this is a very, very simplified explanation.

Ash's clothes

I mentioned this earlier but I think I need to address it again. Ash is most likely wearing his Kalos outfit. This doesn't mean that this story happened before Aloha its because his sun and moon outfit is clearly for the beach. I hated his new design with the passion when I saw they took away his trademark gloves...I love those gloves...they were my childhood...I digress...the point is that he's at the beach...his outfit is clearly for Hawaii weather so I don't see him wearing that when back in Kanto, Sinnoh or where ever. Again I said that this story's timeline is ambiguous it could happen right ofter Kalos or it could happen many generations later. I started the last story in a specific spot because I kind of needed an anchor for where my story could fit. Its on its own timeline at the end of the day and I'm sure you've noticed I have a habit of not describing main character clothing since you can google that. The reason why I'm favoring the Kalos version is well simply I like the update...it seems natural like the update for the advance generation. I also prefer the black gloves over the green ones that are used for the original. I bring this up because I make a simple description of his normal attire and its very basic to the point where you can get away with thinking its the original look since his clothing in color wise doesn't change its just the style. I say this because I think its safe to say that the majority opinion is that the original look is the best. Also its because at the end of the day your the reader and you should be able to imagine the never aging boy the way you want...I still don't like how they changed his eyes in the anime but I digress.

Chapter 9: An Island's Challenge Part I

* * *

It was finally the long break at the training school. Ash rushed out so he could start his journey on challenging the gyms. He decided to take the tunnels out of this place. Despite all his resentment for the Team Rocket establishment he had to admit the tunnels were quite useful when not on a crazy ride of doom. They're amazingly convenient and fast as he walked though the nicely lit underground walk ways. He needed to get to Pallet Town before heading out to his first gym and the tunnel exit he was looking for was in the Viridian Forest.

"If I remember correctly there's a main hall with food stands. From there I go left and that path will take me to the Viridian Forest." "Pika, Pikachu, Chu." He figured simply enough. He walked along the path and came across the main hall with all the food stands. He saw the fork in the tunnels and turned left with confidence. He then came to another fork, he was puzzled at first but still went left.

"Any minute now." "Pikachu." He came to another fork and went left again.

"Okay maybe now I will be in Viridian Forest." "Pika Pi, Pikachu." Then another fork he went left again.

"I'm sure it's just up ahead." "Pika." Then another fork came and another and another.

"Don't tell me I must have gone the wrong way!" "Pika, Pika, Chu, Chu." Another fork in the tunnels.

"I'm lost aren't I!?" "Pikachu!" These forks in the tunnels seemed endless as he started to run in a panic.

"I take it back! I don't like these tunnels anymore!" He shouted. "Someone get me out of here!" "Pika, Pikachu!" He kept on running.

"HEY YOU KID!" Ash froze due to the aggressive voice. He turned around to see it was only Shiro.

"He, He did I scare you kid?" He asked coolly.

"Hey, that's a Pikachu." He noticed Pikachu sitting comfortably on Ash's shoulder. He reached over and petted it roughly to which Pikachu has gotten used to the man's rough affection.

"Why aren't you wearing your junior uniform?" He asked.

"You should know by now that wearing regular clothes is strongly inadvisable when on Team Rocket grounds." He pointed to Ash's regular attire of a blue jacket with the black shirt underneath and his red hat that he always wears. Ash is always quick to get out of that uniform. It's so unconformable to wear such garments. The uniform wasn't itchy or anything it was just uncomfortable. He honestly didn't think it would be necessary since he was just going home.

"But Jeanne never wears a uniform." Ash pointed out.

"Jeanne?" Shiro paused to think about it. "Huh…I've never noticed. Suit yourself kid just don't say I didn't warn you about sticking out like a sore thumb."

" _Look whose talking."_ Ash thought as he listened to the poorly dressed man in the white sweat jacket that had a little red "R" and was wearing sneakers instead of the usual boots.

"Wait Shiro!" Ash hollered as Shiro started to walk away. "I was looking for the exit for Viridian Forest, could you help me?" "Pika, Pikachu?"

"I guess I have some spare time. But only if you suck it up and change your clothes. I need to go to HQ first."

* * *

The last time Ash was at headquarters it was just a quick in and out trip. He didn't see anything except for a few grunts passing by and the storage room that had the Rocket Scope 3000. This time headquarters was much more packed as he saw grunts running around franticly. Some were even crying in corners as if the world has ended.

 _"I never thought I would see the headquarters of Team Rocket like this."_ He followed Shiro down a few halls and was able to see that there were a few lounges with people laying on the couches or playing a game of pool. Other lounges had fuss ball tables or dartboards and he even passed a sign saying it would lead to a bowling alley.

"Hey Shiro is there really a bowling alley here?"

"Yeah, HQ has everything when it comes to sports."

"Like?"

"Let's see, there's a few basketball courts, four baseball fields, a few soccer fields and two swimming pools. I don't remember how many tennis courts there are and I think there's at least eight squash courts." He listed.

"That's…quite a lot." Ash was impressed to say the least.

"Well that's when it comes to sports." He said causally as he continued walking. He clearly had a destination in mind as Ash continued to follow him while many grunts with loads of paperwork constantly ran past them.

"Shiro why is everyone running around?" Shiro didn't answer him as Ash followed him into a computer room filled with Rockets typing away.

"Yo, Gary." Shiro walked towards a young man who looked to be the same age as him. The man in question was typing away on his computer, he stopped to look up and turned his simple office chair to face Shiro.

"Now what do you want?" The exhausted looking young man with little facial hair asked.

"Have the new shipments arrived?"

Gary sighs. "You mean for Celadon City?"

He turned to face his computer and typed away. After a few minutes past Gary turned to Shiro and said.

"The shipments are behind schedule much like everything else. They should arrive next week." Something started to print as the printer next to Gary was activated. He grabbed the freshly printed sheet of paper and handed it to Shiro.

"Here are the details of the truck. Now quit bugging me."

"You're the man, Gary."

"Yeah, Yeah."

"What was that all about?" Ash couldn't help but ask as they left the computer room.

"I'm on a quest Junior and I would like to have it done before the New Year."

"New Year? But it's already the New Year."

"Not for Team Rocket. We have our own way of doing things around here." Shiro stopped walking and turned to face Ash. "I'm getting hungry, how bout you?"

* * *

Team Rocket headquarters is filled with surprises as Ash discovered the giant mess hall that was at the center of the entire establishment.

"Wow." "Pika." All the delicious smells made their way into their noses.

"One order of fried noodles coming up!"

"Try the world's greatest Ramen!"

"Crepes! Get your crepes!"

Ash listened to all the commotion from the various food options, he honestly didn't know what to get.

"The yakisoba over there are the best." Shiro suggested.

* * *

"Welcome, what would you like?" The guy at the yakisoba stand asked. Ash looked at their menu options.

"I want," but then Ash realized he didn't have any money on him. "I want money." He whined.

"We all do kid."

"Don't you have your id on you?" Shiro asked.

"My id?"

"Every member or in your case trainee has an id card. Your id also serves as a form of payment within Team Rocket." Ash astounded by such a fact quickly searched his pockets, hoping that maybe he had one. Thankfully he did as he found it sitting in the pocket of the dark red vest of his junior uniform. He looked at it real quick seeing his profile picture was on it and handed it over hoping that there was money on it. Sure enough there was as he ordered his lunch.

 _"It must be because of Hitoshi."_ Ash thought and happily accepted his yakisoba.

"Thank you for your service. Please enjoy your meal."

* * *

Shiro led him to one of the tables nearby and sat down. Taking a bite Ash was pleasantly surprised by the delicious flavors.

"The yakisoba here is the best. They've been stealing from the farms in Mossgreen Village for years so all the ingredients they use are top quality." Ash froze as he heard the news.

 _"Stolen?"_ It tasted so good but the very idea that these ingredients were stolen made him feel sick in the stomach.

"What's wrong? Don't you like them?"

"Oh…yeah they're really good." Ash quickly recovered, realizing that he was in no place to show his grievances on the matter.

"Ryuu is so amazing." Ash overheard from a group of Rockets that were sitting behind him. "He made that trial seem so easy."

"I know! Jessie and James are so lucky to be paired with him."

"Right!? That Meowth was totally out of line for saying such horrible things to him."

"Hmm, people are still talking about that." Shiro commented softly, gaining Ash's attention.

"Is Ryuu really that important?"

"You could say that. He's in the elite class and is argumentatively Giovanni's second in command. That little fur ball certainly did one heck of a performance so I guess it shouldn't be to surprising that everyone is still talking about it."

"So why was he placed with Jessie and James?"

"Don't know. The boss wanted all teams to have three members so I guess he wanted Ryuu to be with them. If I had to guess it's probably because they're one of the few teams that travel to different regions." Shiro paused before he continued. "But it was strange. The three to a team seemed like it came out of nowhere. Still it really is too bad. Since that incident I haven't seen hide or hair of that little fur ball and I was hoping I could borrow it."

"Why?"

"Why? For the casinos of course." Ash was confused to say the least but luckily Shiro was willing to explain.

"I gotta admit I like that duo's style. If I had a talking Meowth I would teach it to count cards too." Shiro said causally.

"What!?" Ash exclaimed in shock as his anger quickly gained ground as he remembered a certain boat ride.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

On the way to Anbero City and with the helpful persistence from Bonnie they were able to convince Meowth to play a game of _'Old Maid'_. After their little lesson of teaching the scratch cat that there are multiple ways to play with cards they taught it the rules on how to play _'Old Maid'_. It was strange but it seemed like Meowth was really happy to learn a new human thing. It didn't learn a new move, it learned something unique.

 _"Meowth is a unique Pokémon."_ Ash concluded.

"Alright, lets just play. I'll figure it out as we go." Meowth insisted.

They figured that the first game could be a practice round but unfortunately for them Meowth was a fast learner and won.

"Must be beginner's luck." Clemont mumbled astonishingly.

All right, first round they were just going easy on it since it was Meowth's first time. Second round…no mercy. Meowth seemed to be its old self again as it was finally smiling and having fun. After a few turns, Meowth won again.

The competition was on in the third round.

 _"Let's see if it can keep its winning streak up."_ Ash thought. As if it was in a happy wonderland, Meowth won again.

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

"It _was counting cards!"_ Ash growled internally. _"Why that little…"_

"What's wrong with you now?" Shiro questioned.

"Oh, I'm okay." He quickly cooled off not realizing that his anger was starting to show.

"Hmm…it really is too bad." Shiro sighed, "Well there's no point in crying over spilled milk." He got up ready to go.

"Let's go." He suggested. "It's your lucky day Junior. I'll help you through the tunnels but I suggest you don't make it a habit. I am quite busy after all."

"Really!? Thank you!" "Pika, Pikachu!"

* * *

Meowth was lying on his back as he watched the trees sway in the wind. It was rare but sometimes Yumiko actually gave Meowth a break to relax. In times like this Meowth would go up on the roof of the shrine like household that was hidden in the woods. Yumiko's household was like that of a typical Shinto shrine. It was large in size completed with the slated roof called an Irimoya. The household itself carried a nice tranquil aura around it…probably due to the seclusion since it's far away from the common routes that people take. Meowth was resting as it listened to the trees and the calming sounds of the wind chimes and the Zen like fountain that consisted of a bamboo tapping the ground whenever it was filled with water.

"So this is where you've been hiding." Yumiko made her way up by using a ladder. Despite the roof being slated she seemed to be able keep her balance just fine. If it were Jessie or James they would have fallen for sure. She sat next to it and offered some of the Lava cookies that Meowth retrieved from Vermilion City. Meowth almost forgot about them if it wasn't for Cutiefly. He was ready to leave after Furfrou parted ways with them but then Cutiefly quickly reminded Meowth about the stand on the pier. The three of them enjoyed the cookies together on the rooftop.

"It certainly is nice up here." Yumiko started to make some small talk.

"I like being outside."

"That's because you were born wild. What makes you different is that you are aware of your own free will."

"Free will?"

"Man will always try to find ways to tame you…to try to place you where they think is most proper. They will do whatever it takes to defile your birthright. Meowth I want you to remember something for me." She paused as Meowth gave her his full attention.

"The wild can't survive indoors."

"Eh…what?" Meowth was immediately confused. "But I sleep indoors all the time and I live in an apartment with Jessie and James."

"Oh...Well then forget I mentioned it." She said cheerfully.

" _What's with her? She's so weird."_ Meowth thought. Suddenly the wind started to pick up, the wind chimes in the vicinity were no longer in a calming slow tempo as the leaves in the trees rustled even louder. The air was colder while the wind itself felt odd, giving all of them the chills. They looked down to see a man appear underneath the red tori gate.

"Who's that?" Meowth mumbled as he couldn't help but feel his body tingle due to a strange yet oddly familiar vibration as the cool air gave him a few more chills.

"Why don't you go find out?" Yumiko suggested. Meowth looked to the calm woman not sure if she was actually serious. Then again this woman is a special kind of crazy.

"You won't gain any answers just by staring. Go down there and ask." She spoke calmly as she gave him an undemanding command. Meowth was starting to get nervous to say the least as he felt his heart bounding slightly harder and his breathing became shallow with every breath. It got up and made its way down to greet the sad looking man. He looked lost. He was wearing a white lab coat that had burn marks. The disheveled older man that had uncombed grey hair looked to Meowth.

"I was told I could find help here."

"Help…" Meowth mumbled sheepishly not sure who this man was or why he was here. The odd sensation that was tickling its body made it hard to breath as its heart continued to beat slightly faster than average.

"You mean from Yumiko?"

"Yumiko?" The man looked down at Meowth with sullied eyes.

"You have a warm light. Is that the sun?" The man slowly started to reach forward.

"Would you like to come inside?" Yumiko asked as she made her way to them.

"You had quiet the long journey. Would you like some tea?" The man stopped himself from closing in on Meowth as he slowly looked to the tall, slender woman in her kimono. He nodded and Yumiko led the way to the back room as the man slowly followed with Meowth right behind him.

* * *

"Take this." The man slides a strange key across the table towards Yumiko.

"It must be retrieved before it's to late." Yumiko takes hold of the key as the man turns to Meowth.

"May I?" He asks, Meowth wasn't sure what the man wanted but before Meowth could reply the man slowly raised a hand and gently placed it onto Meowth's koban.

"I feel drawn to it." He said as the koban started to sparkle a unique soft hue of light. Meowth stiffened to his touch, the man's hand was gentle as it rested on its koban as the soft yellow light shined softly. What was this human doing? Why must he do it? Many humans have done this in the past, sometimes it was bothersome as if its personal space was being violated other times Meowth didn't really mind at all. Sometimes it would feel comforting like it does now.

"How nice…it feels warm…very nice." The man spoke softly.

"Tell me, is the weight of the sun heavy for you?" He asked as his delicate hand remained in the warmth of the yellow light the koban provided. Meowth didn't understand the question but it simply responded by shaking its head no.

"I see." The man replied as a vision flashed before Meowth's eyes.

" _What's this?"_ Meowth gasped to itself as a vision of a safe that was tucked away in a closet appeared. Then a room that was filled with potted plants followed by a building that was on fire. The man then removed his hand from the koban as the light ceased.

 _"What was that?"_ Meowth thought tiredly. The man got up and started to head for the door that would lead him outside. He seemed more peaceful as if all of his burdens were lifted off of his shoulders. He turned to face them and bowed politely.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I'll be off now." He continued his way outside with the wind chimes signaling his presence. As he left the intoxicating sensation that radiated in the man's presence slowly released Meowth from its grasp. Meowth was able to breathe steadily as his heart rate was returned to normal. He was slightly more tired too. It was as if he battled and was lacking the normal amount of energy to function for the rest of the day.

"Why don't you take a nap?" Yumiko suggested.

"You'll need your rest for the rest of the day." Yumiko didn't need to repeat herself as she turned to see that Meowth was already past out, resting his head on his arms that were on the table as if it were a human.

"Hmm…I thought so."

* * *

"Meowth, I need you to take this key and go to Cinnabar Island."

"But Rocketeers aren't allowed to go to Cinnabar Island. That and the rest of the Sevii Islands are not allowed. The boss would be furious if I do that."

"What Giovanni doesn't know won't hurt anyone." She stated nonchalantly.

"Here." She handed him ferry tickets as well as tickets for a resort hotel. "If you don't want to go alone you can always bring Jessie and James along. I'm sure a five star hotel would be enough to entice them."

"But that jerk is with us now. I'm sure he would rat me out to the boss the minute he finds out."

"Well then maybe someone else will go with you. Your smart enough to figure it out." Meowth sighed in defeat, it was clear that Yumiko was dead set on sending him out into forbidden waters. Maybe he could find someone that he trusts to tag along.

"Alright." He sighed again. Cutiefly fluttered up to him and saluted him a farewell.

"Cu, Cu." It wished him good luck.

"What!? You're not coming with me?"

"I need Cutiefly to help me with a few orders from other clients." Yumiko answered.

"You'll be fine, if you don't want to go alone just find someone that you can trust." Meowth sadly started to head out the door.

"Rocketeer," Yumiko called for its attention causing Meowth to stop and turn to face her once more.

"The spring you're praying for will never bloom. Once you retrieve the item that key protects I want you to come right back here." Meowth nods his understanding of her request and heads out.

* * *

Meowth thought that maybe he would be lucky and that he could speak to Jessie and James alone. Ryuu is an elite agent so its not like he has the same workload as Jessie and James. If anything he has much more tasks to complete and it seemed that his workloads were becoming more time consuming before Meowth was placed with Yumiko.

 _"I really hope he's not around, than it could be just the three of us."_

Meowth hypothesized that Jessie and James were still hanging around headquarters and were doing work for Dr. Zager. He went through the entrance of the tunnels that was near Saffron City and made his way to Headquarters. He looked around the halls seeing all the poor franticly running grunts trying to meet the demands of their bosses. The Team Rocket New Year always brought unnecessary stresses for everyone. It's all because everyone and especially Giovanni wants everything accounted for and to have redefined goals for the upcoming year from each department within Team Rocket. At the end of the day no one really seems to mind the whole process because after all is said and done it's the end of the year festivities that everyone in Team Rocket looks forward too. So in a way it all makes sense to get the hard work done in order to fully enjoy the fun times. Although, having to do that stupid play again this year made the festivities less appealing this time around for Meowth.

He looked in all the usual places that the trio would usually hang out in. He checked the few lounges with the dartboards and pool tables and some of the video game rooms. He even checked the movie theater since that is a common place for Rockets to hide and sleep. While he heard a few of the hiding grunts snoring, he saw no sign of Jessie or James.

 _"Maybe they're in the mess hall."_

He looked around and still no sign of them. Even though he knew they wouldn't be there, Meowth felt that he needed some fresh air as the doors to the large garden oasis seemed inviting due to the bright sunlight peaking through their windows.

"Well look who decided to show up." Some arrogant voice spoke up. Meowth turned to see an arrogant smirk adorning Nicholas's face.

"Hey Meowth, long time no see." Kenji waved cheerfully.

"Oh…hi." Meowth replied. He honestly didn't feel like dealing with them but maybe if he humored them for a bit they would go away. "What are you two doing here?"

"Since school is out for awhile I wanted to take the time and observe some of the agents who are going through the trials of becoming a Rusui." Kenji answered.

"Then why are you here?" He looked to Nicholas. "You don't strike me as someone who would want to go through all that."

"I don't but if you must know you're looking at Team Rocket's soon to be number one elite agent and watching any trial will help put me above all the rest." He said filled with pride over himself but paused as he glared at Meowth.

"Speaking of elites, you should apologize to him."

"I'm not apologizing!" Meowth snapped.

"Nicholas." Kenji warned him to back down but Nicholas was far from it.

"I don't get you. Do you have any idea what a blessing it is to have someone like Ryuu on your team? Instead of being a brat you should be taking advantage of the situation and ask him to train you." Meowth was beyond furious at such a suggestion. Nicholas wasn't the first one to suggest it. A quite a few culprits have expressed the same opinion ever since Meowth made such a big scene.

"Besides a lot of time has passed so I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to relearn some things." Nicholas continued to pester on such a dangerous topic as Meowth's anger grew. It didn't want to hear any of this. All it wanted was to find Jessie and James, not to receive some lecture from some human that's too full of himself.

"You've been with those two idiots for far too long. They wouldn't know how to train their way out of a paper bag. Just think, with Ryuu's guidance you can return to the missions you used to do."

"Shut…up." Meowth murmured venomously.

 *****Kaboom*****

 *****Smash***Smash***Smash*****

Suddenly, the Ramen shop's giant pot spewed hot water all over the place while throughout the mess hall cups and teapots that Rockets were using to drink their beverage shattered.

"Man, and here we thought last year was total chaos." Nicholas stated as now the once tranquil mess hall was no more. He turned back to face Meowth only to see it was no longer there.

"You go to far sometimes." Kenji said.

"What!? It needs to get its act together and stop cowering behind those two." Nicholas countered. Kenji patted the back of his friend's shoulder as he said in a cheerful tone.

"Patience is a virtue that you clearly don't have my friend."

* * *

Meowth was outraged as he made his way to one of the many willow trees that were in the vicinity of the garden. Passing by the water fountains that were more vigorous in their movements.

 _"I outta scratch his face!"_ Meowth thought viciously as he plopped himself under a willow tree.

"If your looking for your friends they went back home to Viridian City." Meowth turned to see an old man making his way towards him. A thin white beard framed the old man's face, with very fine white hair on top of his head. Some of which was in a small ponytail. He wore much more formal clothing compared to all the Rockets for it was a black yukata with a little red "R" over the heart.

"Oh, hi Satoru." Another person Meowth didn't feel like talking to right now.

 _"I guess I should go home."_

"It's been awhile since the last time I saw you." The old man tried to make some small talk but noticed that the little feline wasn't paying any attention.

"You seem troubled."

"No I was just thinking."

"You know I was the one who requested that this garden be built. It feels like home doesn't it? It feels safe here with the lovely willow leaves swaying in the cool breeze. If only Giovanni was willing to put more effort in the water features." He noted the few fountains that were flowing calmly.

"They're nice but they don't compare to the grand waterfalls we have back home." Again he notice Meowth wasn't really paying attention. He gently leaned over and touched Meowth's koban with a delicate old finger causing Meowth to flinch as a spark of light emanated due to the man's touch.

"I see." He whispered to himself. The man than knelt down on the soft grass beside Meowth as they both sat underneath the large tree.

"Have I ever told you the story about the dragon in the water?" There was no reply so the man continued.

"The people thought the mysterious creature that showed up in their lake was a friendly beast. He would protect them and provided them a life of luxury. The dragon never ask for anything in return. It wanted the townspeople to know that its generosity was out of love and wanted them to feel safe. No one ever questioned where the dragon came from or why it wanted to do all these things. They all failed to see that whenever the dragon provided for them he would always bear his fangs when he smiled. The more he provided the more his large body started to slowly exit the water…bit by bit he showed what he really was. As the dragon kept providing for the people the more power the dragon gained. In the end the once calm and generous creature in the lake was nothing more than a serpent waiting for the right time to strike the people he claimed to love."

He finished his story and in a much lighter tone asked, "Well what do you think?"

Meowth didn't respond for it didn't know what to say. The wind started to pick up causing the leaves to rustle and a few blades of grass brushing past them. Meowth watched them go by as the old man made a mental note of the light in its sapphire eyes. The old man than stood up and preceded to walk away but stopped and turned around to look at the troubled scratch cat.

"I enjoy our time together, maybe when you have some free time you can stop by for some tea."

* * *

Without wasting anymore time Meowth ran through the tunnels and out of the exit that was in the Team Rocket's section of Viridian City. Their home was in a small apartment building specifically meant for active members of their stature. These apartments were basically Team Rocket's equivalent to a barracks. They weren't as grand or as well kept compared to the other developments within the Team Rocket neighborhood but it was home. Meowth was passing through one of the open markets that were being held in the town square to get home and saw his friends were out shopping for groceries.

"Hey Jessie, hey James." It greeted.

"Hey Meowth, how is Yumiko?" Jessie asked.

"She's fine, but I'm here for your hel."

"Meowth?" It then saw the tall man with dark blue hair coming towards them. He had some grocery bags in his hands so he must have been shopping as well.

"I'm so glad to see you. I just want to let you know that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so forward and I should have respected your feelings more. If you don't mind I want to start over. We'll do it at your pace to become friends. That is…I hope you will give me another chance." Meowth stayed quiet, the man's words felt genuine but the man himself did not. Is that possible? His words sounded kind…it really does seem like he wants to be friends.

"He's so nice!" Jessie exclaimed.

"He's so cool!" James added.

"But I must say, you should know better than to wonder off on your own. If you were done helping out Yumiko you should have waited for one of us to come get you."

" _Why must Jessie and James tell him everything!?"_ Meowth complained to himself.

"Meowth you came at the right time. Ryuu is an amazing cook and is going to be making his oden stew tonight." James stated.

"He's amazing…Really, Really Amazing! I don't know how we managed without him." Jessie complimented.

"Oh you two…stop…I'm not that good." Ryuu chuckled it off bashfully. It was sickening!

"Oooo and his so modest too!" James squealed.

"I'll pass." Meowth responded softly breaking everyone out of their good cheer.

"Ryuu, would you be a dear and hold this for me." Jessie asked sweetly as she handed him her bags before grabbing Meowth and pulling it to the side with James.

"What's with you? I thought some time away would do you some good not make you worse. Ryuu is the best thing that has ever happened to us so don't screw it up." Jessie scolded.

"Yeah the boss already yelled at us for what you started." James added.

"Are you two serious right now? What happened to _'we're always a team?'_ "

"We are a team but now our team has a new member, if you don't like him then fine but don't be a brat about it." Jessie said.

"Excuse me but I don't think I can hold all these bags much longer." Ryuu interrupted politely. Meowth turned around and started to walk away.

"Please don't go." Meowth turned as Ryuu called out to it, "I heard lemon cakes are your favorite. I found a recipe and I wanted to try and make you some. I could make some tonight if you like."

"I need to go."

"Where to?" Ryuu asked.

"I uh…just remembered I'm actually here to go to the gym."

"Gym? Why would you be going to the gym?" Jessie asked.

"I uh…heard they have upgraded the place and the boss wanted me to go check it out."

"You mean you want to train?" James confirmed as he and Jessie paused before busting out in huge laughter.

"Bwahhahahahahaha!"

"Do you need some more time to think of something more believable?" James asked.

"You train! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Jessie said as she couldn't stop laughing.

"But Giovanni told it to how's that funny?" Ryuu asked confused by their sudden outburst of laughter.

"This is Meowth we're talking about, it wouldn't train even if the boss demanded it to." Jessie stated. "Every time it does try to train it gives up within two seconds begging for us to stop."

"That goes for battling too." James added.

Jessie then returned her attention onto Meowth. "Seriously, why are you here?"

"You Jerks! I can too Train! At least I know what training is unlike you two idiots! You wouldn't know what training is even if it hits you in the face. You're only gushing over him because he probably knows more on how to win better than either of you ever could!" It unfortunately gained some unwanted attention from some of the shoppers passing by.

"Why you little!" Jessie screeched.

"How dare you say that!" James yelled as the two were ready to pound it but Ryuu intervened.

"Stop! Stop! This is not how teammates should behave." Meowth watched as Jessie and James quickly calmed down, agreeing with Ryuu and acknowledging how sensible he is in these situations.

" _You got to be kidding me!"_ Not only that the few passing shoppers were nodding in approval too. Meowth had it with them and ran off.

 _"I'm outta here!"_ Ryuu sees it running away and tries to go after it but is stopped by Jessie and James.

"We're so sorry Ryuu. Please forgive Meowth it just needs some more time to get used to these changes." Jessie said apologetically.

"I'm sure it will come around if we give it some space." James confirmed.

* * *

Meowth runs out of the protected Team Rocket neighborhood and ends up on one of the many nature trails for joggers in the city.

"THEY'RE UNBELIEVEABLE!" Out of anger it lashes out and slices through a wooden post that had directions for joggers. He then pulls out the tickets to Cinnabar Island.

 _"What am I supposed to do now?"_ He scrunches up the tickets as his frustration over everything boils up as he falls to the ground rolling around on the soft grass by the trail having a tantrum inside himself. He rolls onto his back looking up at the blue sky thinking on what he should do. His frustration continued to run rapid as he rolled to his side squeezing the sides of his face as if self-infliction was the only way to help him get through his dilemma. As he started to calm down Meowth started to slowly open his eyes. In the distant sky he saw half of the moon slowly making its appearance. It's a bit early Meowth thought at first but then realized that he wasted the whole day looking for Jessie and James.

" _The moon…"_ Meowth thought to itself as its mind quickly changed course thinking back to that day on the beach with Furfrou. The way Furfrou stood its ground and fought that human's Machoke off…It was fearless with untainted faith that everything will be in its favor in the end.

 _"I was never like that."_ Meowth recalled the days when it was top cat. When it did missions back in the day as top cat, the thrill from stealing, being chased or just from lurking in the shadows always had Meowth craving for more. It was slightly smaller than average but it turned its disadvantages into its advantages. It capitalized on its speed and flexibly to outmaneuver its opponents. When Meowth was placed with Jessie and James collecting items or doing its own missions ceased, it would retrieve the weapons or fix the machines they would use but doing anything more than that was over. Having tasks that were similar to what he used to do were dare he say it…fun. However it was odd. Back then when he was top cat, that strange joyous feeling that he felt when he stole the Clefairy doll, whether he felt that way during his missions as the top cat of Team Rocket was hard for him to remember. If anything it was easier to say that he never felt anything when he was top cat. Sure, his love for stealing and scheming never faltered and the blood boiling excitement he gets from doing such acts always remained, but when he was top cat did he ever truly enjoy doing his missions? He wanted to say yes but looking back the memories of being the top cat were dark ones. Dark memories of wanting to do whatever it took to prove to everyone that he was truly the best.

" _The missions I remember enjoying are the ones with Jessie and James. We lost a lot but it was always fun with them. Jessie and James saved me. I'm glad I'm on their team. I…"_ Meowth paused as it remembered the mesmerizing display of Furfrou effortlessly dodging every attack. As if the remaining light in the sky was guiding its every move. As if there was complete devotion to one another.

 _"Compared to Furfrou I'm just a clumsy pet."_ Meowth looked to the slowly appearing half moon in the distant sky.

 _"A true Pokéteer…"_ Meowth sighed and got up.

 _"I guess I could do it on my own."_ He thought as he looked to the tickets.

* * *

On his way out of the city he couldn't help but notice a new building. Curious to see what it was he came upon the newly renovated Viridian City Gym.

"Whoa…talk about an upgrade." He thought out loud. The general outlook of the building hasn't changed but there were two large wings added making it much larger. Surprisingly enough Meowth was curious to see what was different on the inside.

Well the first thing Meowth noticed was the entrance, before it was just the battlefield and everything for Team Rocket was in the back. Now the whole entrance was similar to a reception desk that could be seen in any hotel. The desk itself was empty, in fact no one seemed to be in the building. Meowth moved forward and opened one of the doors that were behind the desk to see that the battlefield that's used for gym battles was up ahead.

 _"So what's with the new wings if everything is the same in here?"_ Meowth walked through one of the wings in question and saw training equipment for humans and a few lounging areas.

 _"A mini Headquarters?"_ After getting its curiosity out of its system Meowth felt that it was best to quit fooling around and head out. One of the doors in the wing he was in lead to the gym's battlefield so he figured he could just cut through there. As he walked across he noticed that field felt different then he remembered. Battlefields are usually made with sand mixed with dirt but this floor felt harder than that. It smelled rubbery.

 _"It's called 'turf' if I remember correctly."_ Meowth stopped in its tracks.

 _"Wait a minute this isn't the battlefield, it's a training room."_ Meowth was quick to turn around and get out but he heard something click…it sounded like a booby trap. A giant log came swinging down aiming to hit Meowth.

"AHHHH!" Meowth screamed as he jumped out of the way and ran for the doors but then he felt he went over another trip wire as he heard another clicking noise. Suddenly, flying darts came flying.

"AHHH!" Meowth kept running and unfortunately triggering every trap on his way out of the training room. He swiftly moved out of the flying darts way and any of the swinging pendulums of doom that came his way as he made it to the safety of the other side of the door.

Breathing heavily from the unwanted exercise, "I forgot about all those traps that are in the training rooms."

Out of breathe and tired he looked around hoping to find his way out of this nightmarish place. Fortunately he found the entrance hall and was nearing the exit. Just then something bumped into him harshly causing him to fall to the ground.

 *****Thud***  
**

"What the…" Meowth looked up to see a Sneasel looking smug. "Why you…what gives!?"

"Sneasel, Sneas, Sneasel, El." _**(Well if it isn't Team Rocket's little fallout.)**_ The Sneasel responded snidely as it showed that it stole Meowth's tickets to Cinnabar Island.

"Hey give those back!"

"Sneas!" _**(No way!)**_ Sneasel said as it darted off. Meowth chased after it in hot pursuit only to enter another training room but unfortunately this room had a few Pokémon in it and some of them were Rocketeers. They growled at him the moment he stepped foot into the training room.

" _Geez…what's with today and me running into all the jerks I know."_ Meowth couldn't think about them right now as he focused his attention on his only target and that was that darn Sneasel. This training room was designed for Pokémon to train themselves. It had everything from target practicing to high tightropes to strengthen a Pokémon's balance. In this room there were multiple platforms that were designed in a way for one to train for battles that would be in forests for the platforms mimics the different levels of tree branches. This room also had its own set of traps. He chased Sneasel through the room running after it on the ground all the while they both unleashed the booby traps with in their path.

"Not this again!" Meowth whined as he had to dodge the flying darts that were coming at him. Frustrated he jumped high out of the way of all the darts and aimed to land right in front of Sneasel by using the platforms above to cut it off. But then one of the other Pokémon shot a razor leave, hitting Meowth in the process. Meowth tumbled to the ground but got up rather quickly, growling at the interfering Nuzleaf. Meowth turned its attention back onto Sneasel who was now on a much higher platform, taunting Meowth with the tickets it stole. Angered by Sneasel's antics Meowth picked up its pace and quickly maneuvered his way up to where Sneasel was by using its double team in the process. Sneasel was taken back by the move and was blindsided as Meowth surprised attacked it from behind. Meowth was able to scratch Sneasel's face and was able to retrieve the tickets back.

"Serves you right!" Meowth shouted viciously as he looked down at the Sneasel he knocked to the ground. It growled at him ready to fight some more but Meowth wasn't in the mood and just wanted to get out of there. However some of the other Pokémon had different plans as they started to gang up on it. A Rhyhorn started to use rock blast and threw rocks at it while a few Zubat and Spearow joined in by flying up to the platform it was on. They wanted to force him to come down. They all wanted a piece of him.

 _"That does it!"_ As a rock came his way, with all his might he sliced through it and did a large jump down landing on one of the lower platforms that brought it face to face with the majority of the Pokémon head on. Unfortunately the platform unleashed another large log swinging towards it but Meowth was beyond furious and sliced through it as well. He glared at all the Pokémon menacingly.

"I want to leave! Now get out of my way or else!" He threatened but then Sneasel came up from behind and pushed Meowth to the ground, grabbing the tickets in the process.

"Sne, Sneasel, Sneasel, Sel, Sneasel, Sne, Sneasel." _**(He, He, a real Rocketeer would no better than to turn their back on an enemy.)**_

"Grrr…"

"Just what do you think you're doing!?" A stern voice echoes. Meowth gets up quickly and nervously turns to see Silver walking up to the Pokémon.

"This room is for Pokémon who are serious about becoming stronger not for worthless beings like you." Sneasel, being the loyal pet that it is runs to Silver and hands him the tickets.

"Cinnabar Island?" He read then looked to the Meowth that was clearly out of breath. "Rocketeers are forbidden to leave the Kanto mainland."

"They're not mine." Meowth quickly replied. "I was…just in the neighborhood and I"

"I didn't ask for an explanation. I honestly don't care why you're here. If you're finally going to stop fooling around than I won't stop you."

"Sorry but I wasn't here to train." Meowth says quietly and prepares to leave. _"What should I do now?"_

"Hold it…you're pathetically weak but out of everyone you were the only one with the guts to tell off my Father's favorite disciple…hmm…you're always the strange one."

"I see you heard about that too."

"I have it on tape."

"There's a tape!?"

* * *

Silver placed the tickets into his pocket and was willing to let Meowth come up to his apartment that was above the battlefield. The apartment was centered where it had a good view of the main battlefield as well as the training room where all the Pokémon were in on the other side. Meowth noticed some unopened cards that were meant for Silver on the coffee table but decided not to ask about them. Silver popped the tape in and it turned out to be footage from one of the security cameras. The footage was terrible and the audio was distorted for most of the conversation but the _'I Don't Like You!'_ bit was heard loud and clear.

"Ha, Ha!" Silver laughs.

"I think this is my most favorite thing to watch." He then kept rewinding it to hear it again and again and continued on laughing.

"This is the greatest. I wish I could have been there." Meowth was embarrassed at first. Listening to it's own harsh tone and realizing that's what everyone heard. But as it continued to watch a blank stare took hold as it focused its attention on the distorted figure of Ryuu. It was all black at points with his face being hard to see.

"It's about time someone showed some back bone. I honestly thought you didn't have it in you. Maybe when your finally done fooling around with those idiots you will actually be worth something one day." The phone starts to ring causing Silver to walk out of the room. Meowth was leaning its back against the sofa's edge as it stared blankly at the still picture of the dark figure on the TV screen. Meowth didn't want to look at it anymore. It was nauseating just to think about all the changes that have happened. The Team Rocket Trio…its sanctuary…must it all change?

 _"I…I don't want anything to change…_ _it will all return to normal if I'm patient. 'Patience is a virtue' they say…I'll just be patient."_ It walked around the living room to look at some of Silver's rewards that he won from tournaments. Meowth then sees a few packages addressed to Silver from some notable people in Team Rocket, including Giovanni and they were all in the trash unopened.

 _"What…no room for the cards."_ Meowth thought jokingly to himself. Something that Meowth has learned about humans was that they would have pictures of family and friends hanging around in their home but Silver had none. He turned to the table with the remaining cards and realized.

 _"That's right tomorrow is…"_ He stopped his train of thought as he thought he saw something in the corner of his eye. It looked like it was a shadow that flew by as he snapped his attention to the skylight that was a big wide window looking down at the main gym's battlefield.

 _ **(Get out!)**_

"Huh?" It says out loud. Silver returns with the cordless phone and a mug of coffee for himself and starts to play the tape again.

"I Don't Like You! Ha, Ha!" He laughed as he repeated the infamous line.

"That was Ryuu on the phone. He asked if you were here and I told him the truth. It sounds like they're having a good time without you." The phone rings again and Silver annoyingly hands it over to Meowth as if it were beneath him to talk to whoever it was on the line. Meowth answers it and the angry shouting from the two knuckleheads was deafening. They were spewing out nonsense on how it shouldn't be bothering Silver and that it should suck it up and join them. Angered by their foolishness Meowth hangs up on them.

 *****Crack*****

Silver looked to his mug and saw that a crack in the ceramic has formed.

"It's a piece of junk. I just got this mug too." He mumbled.

" _I guess I'll just go on my own then!"_ Meowth thought.

 _ **(Get out!)**_ It heard as it saw another dark shadow in the corner of its eye.

"I honestly don't know why you put up with them."

"There's a simple answer to that. Maybe when you're not to busy I'll tell you one day."

 _ **(Get out!)**_ Meowth starts pacing itself while looking around at the rewards again, trying to keep itself calm and collected.

 _"Should I leave?"_ It looks to the door. Its ears start twitching as it thought it felt a tremor. Meowth goes to the window to observe the other Pokémon in the training room. Some of them are Rocketeers and they all seem fine. He looked to Silver and it doesn't seem like he felt it either. It then saw a dark shadow again in the corner of its eye.

 _ **(Get out, Get out, Get out!)**_ It heard again and the voice sounded urgent. It felt another tremor, it then turned its attention onto the coffee table in the center of the room. It was odd but the room felt warmer all of a sudden and the coffee table looked like there were flames coming out of it. Meowth reached the table and tried to touch the flame as if it were in a trance. The minute it reached its paw to touch one of the light orange hues it disappeared and the room cooled down.

 _ **(Get out!)**_ Meowth looked to Silver who was fixated on the television.

"I still have an errand I need to take care of so I need to go." He gained the boy's attention.

"You're actually doing real work? Maybe after some real training here in the gym you'll actually be worth my time."

"Ha, Ha oh you…being a weak Pokémon has its benefits that a strong, sensible human like you couldn't possibly understand."

"So what's on Cinnabar Island?" Meowth paused.

"I'm not an idiot, my theory is that you were going to invite those two losers but then something went wrong hence why you wondered off and managed your way into my gym." He eyed the nervously shy Meowth before him. "Rocketeers are restricted to the Kanto mainland. My Father won't tolerate such disobedience from a Pokémon like you."

"We don't have to tell him. It could be a secret between friends."

"Friends?" Meowth blushes slightly realizing it may have gone to far with a boy like him.

"It's for Yumiko…I've been helping her out with a few errands because of what happened." It pointed to the TV.

 _ **(Get out!)**_

"Would you come with me?" It blurted out.

"I know you think I'm weak and your right to think that but I wouldn't be risking everything if I didn't somehow think that this would be worth doing." Silver eyed it for a long moment. He got up and took out the tape as well as a few others and placed them into a bag.

"I guess I could watch these at the hotel." He smirks.

"Silver," Meowth then puts one paw over its heart and extends the other.

"I promise you a blastastic birthday." It says filled with sincerity as its dazzling sapphire eyes sparkled against its whiter fur.

* * *

Author Notes:

Mossgreen Village is an anime only place. I don't know if there are farms there...probably not...but this is a fanfic.

Headquarters sounds like Google

As I was getting into more details about headquarters...a place that's just one big building according to the anime...it started to sound extremely fanficy and there's no way this could all be there. So I was very close to changing it all...as in no sports and other weird stuff that makes the place sound like the Google office. I was going to leave it with the big mess hall plus a few other things like training rooms and science labs. So I argued with myself if there was a place for any of what I wrote in this chapter...Like a movie theater? Really? Team Rocket has a movie theater? That's sounds stupid! Why would a character like Giovanni have a movie theater, lounges etc in his headquarters for all his thieves? How could this make sense...does it make sense? Here is my answer to that and why I did not take out all the frills.

How do you get people to be so loyal to you and to have them keep doing crimes? What is the payoff at the end of the day? We never get to see any of the payoffs but there's clearly something that draws people to join and I'm sorry it can't just fall solely onto good leadership or because people want to live the "gangster" life. You're getting people to steal and to do crazy crimes cause you promise them power but you need to show that its not out of reach...that you already have power and gaining more is not really a challenge. Yes a challenge is good but people won't stick with you if the challenge is impossible...some might but not a lot especially if they don't feel accomplished. So that is why I kept everything about headquarters in the story...to me there needs to be a strong attraction that convinces people that they are in a good position and that everything they do is worth something...a smart business man would what his subordinates to feel like all their needs can be met...that they wouldn't want to leave him because by giving them all these benefits gives his people a sense that they would be worse off without him...My other reason is that the most of what we see of Team Rocket in the anime or whatever is that they are mostly idiots...idiots are idiots why would they want to stick around when there's nothing but training in training rooms and thinking in science labs...that's all boring and no fun...in the end the frills stay

The dragon in the water

This is a short story I created. Its not really based on anything and as I write this note I can't really think of what it's similar too. I think it's a pretty common story/morale so it's not very creative.

Silver

I know I keep committing this sin of bringing game and anime together but hopefully I kept him in character enough. I know him going with Meowth seems out of character but hopefully when you read the next chapter and a few chapters after you will see it all comes together.


	10. An Island's Challenge Part II

Author Notes:

Ash will most likely be out of character. I don't really know how well I've kept him in character throughout this story but I tried to keep him close to how I think his character would react in the situations I created. The same probably goes for Meowth but I think I've already done a lot of stretching with that character.

Silver

There's a Silver in the games and there's a Silver in the manga series. I haven't read the series but I will say most of his Pokemon will be inspired from the manga series to save me time from thinking of what would work best. But they won't be the "manga" versions but rather counterparts...if that makes sense. Sort of like how Ash is supposedly the anime counterpart to Red. With that said, Silver in this story will most likely be nowhere near the manga or even the games for that much. This fanfic is based off of the anime universe so the way I see it is that Team Rocket was never disbanded in the anime. I think a Silver in the anime universe would be cold hearted and has grown to do his own thing like in the games but is still affiliated with Team Rocket in a few ways whether he likes it or not. I think an anime version Silver would have a little bit more appreciation of his Pokemon like he started to have at the end in the games but still contains that coldness towards those who are inferior. This is just my take on what Silver would be like in the anime and to be honest I like the jerky rivals. I always thought that they were the best characters compared to characters like...Hau...yes I said it he annoyed me...I seriously don't understand his appeal...I digress.

I don't know what the general consensus would be if Silver was in the anime but this is just my take on it. All versions of Silver pretty much have the same character traits in one way or another as in he's rude or (fill in negative, jerky trait here) and that's what I'm using as my base for him here...so hopefully its close enough to what he might be like if he were in the anime universe.

Cinnabar Island

I remember in the anime it's larger compared to the games. I couldn't find anymore decent shots to observe for research but I came under the impression that there is a city on Cinnabar Island in the anime.

The mentioning of cats in general is something quite common in this story. I know that's sort of a taboo in Pokemon but here me out. The description of Meowth is "scratch cat" and the other cat like Pokemon also have "cat" in their descriptions. So to me I don't see using the words "cat, dog, fish etc." a bad thing. I see it as a generalization like in the real world there are different breeds of cats just like there are different breeds in the Pokemon world. Yes I know that according to Pokemon lore they are all the same so my opinion on the matter is most likely invalid.

A minor note, I'm sure you will notice someone's dialogue will have its appearance change...this is on purpose.

Chapter 10: An Island's Challenge Part II

* * *

Sitting in the doorway Ash was finishing tying his shoes.

"I'm off Mom!" He exclaimed loudly as he waved his Mom goodbye.

"Good Luck, honey." She returned. Ash dashed out the door of his home with Pikachu on his shoulder ready to face his first gym battle. When he returned home Professor Oak surprised him with free tickets to Cinnabar Island. Filled with uncontrollable enthusiasm…that settled it! Cinnabar Island Gym will be his first gym battle for the One World Tournament!

He couldn't even sleep he was so excited. It was early morning and Ash ran to the ferry port that was just outside of Pallet Town. He smiled as he looked over to his buddy, Pikachu. They were both overjoyed to start this adventure. They walked onto the ferry which was the first one scheduled to leave that day. As the ferry started to set sail towards their destination Ash and Pikachu looked over the ocean's horizon as the sun started to rise.

"You ready Pikachu?"

"Pika, Pikachu!"

* * *

Meowth was thankful that Silver was willing to come along and on such short notice. After Silver agreed and packed the few videotapes that seemed important to him, he went down to where all the Pokémon were and recollected his own Pokémon by calling them back to their poke balls. This included the Sneasel from before as well as a Honchkrow. The others seemed to belong to other Rockets while the rest were Rocketeers like that oversized jerk Rhyhorn. It was odd seeing captured Pokémon and Rocketeers being in the same room like this one but Meowth didn't really care. It just wanted to leave and not be bothered by the likes of them.

They quickly left the confines of the gym; it was past nightfall and Meowth felt unnaturally tired. The tickets were for a starlight cruise that leaves from Vermillion City's harbor that included a weekend long stay at a Cinnabar Island resort that the cruise line is affiliated with. So they quickly made their way through the useful tunnels to make it on time. Meowth had to hand it to Yumiko. She really knew what she was doing as Meowth entered the suite that it was supposed to be sharing with those two blockheads. Large beds with large fluffy pillows and a full size couch in front of a large screen TV…they would never want to leave the suite that screams luxury. The bathroom itself could fit their little apartment twice! The suite even had its own private balcony and sitting area. Meowth explored their private balcony and sat down on one of the benches to gaze upon the starlit ocean horizon. Meowth looked up to the waxing moon's sky, taking in the gentle breeze and the fresh, pleasant smell of the ocean water. He was tired to say the least as it felt like his little headache was making his head spin.

 _"I don't know why but I feel like all of my energy has been zapped out of me."_ It sighed heavily as it heard Silver drop his bag in front of it quite harshly.

"I'm warning you, I'm not here as you're replacement for those morons." He continued with a cold glare that matched his tone.

"We should arrive by morning but you're on your own the minute we get there." Meowth was annoyed by his rude attitude but decided to let it go. He was too tired to fight. Silver was willing to come along and that did ease its anxieties of having to travel by itself to a place that's now forbidden. Plus it seems that Silver doesn't like Ryuu either…that's a first.

"And what are you doing relaxing? This is not some field trip. You should be taking this time to train yourself for what could be up ahead." Silver scolded.

" _Man he's annoying!"_ Meowth thought as Silver finally succumbed to his pride and sat down beside Meowth although he retained his unhappy demeanor while doing so.

"I see you haven't changed." Meowth couldn't help but make a loud observation as Silver eyed it with the use of his menacing red eyes.

"I meant it as a compliment. It's actually refreshing. At least I know that you won't be saying any nonsense on how superior Ryuu is or how cool he is or how smart he is or how nice he is!" Meowth went on and on with its rant as the waves smashed against the boat loudly.

"Or how lucky our team is and how I should have him train me. Can you believe people? Gah!" Meowth screamed out its frustration.

"It's Unbelievable! How can they be so Stupid!?" Silver really wasn't in the mood to hear a rant but Meowth was clearly on a roll that he couldn't stop it. He eyed the violent waves that thrashed against the sides of the cruise ship before returning his gaze to the angered feline.

"Don't misunderstand me." Silver finally said.

"I don't really care for anyone in Team Rocket." He got up and walked towards the railing. His hand found its way onto the cold metal bar and started to clench it tightly as his own feelings started to surface.

"I earned that gym with my own strength but then he took it away." It seemed like he wanted to say more but stopped. Silver returned to sit next to Meowth, he then pulled out his laptop and camcorder along with some videos with the ideas of looking over some recent footage. Meowth noticed the sudden change in the boy's attitude, he still contained that sneering look in his eyes but he seemed flustered.

 _"He? Does he mean the boss?"_ Meowth observed the quiet, stern looking boy beside him, it wanted to ask what he was going to say but felt that it was best not to pry.

 _"Well at least I'm not the only one."_ It left the boy alone to his electronics as it turned its attention to the night sky that shined over the water's surface.

* * *

Silver had his camcorder attached to his laptop and downloaded the footage onto his computer. Growing up in a family like his, Silver has learned that it's always best to have records for one's own self-preservation. Silver's habit has grown into video recording training sessions and battles to see where his Pokémon need improvement or in some cases if it's even worth the time to improve them. Most of the current videos being downloaded were of recent battles and of the training rooms that his Pokémon have been in to train themselves. His eyes widened slightly as he watched some of the footage while also feeling something small lean against him. He turned to see that the once ranting scratch cat was now sound asleep and somehow ended up against his arm. Instinctively he was close to pushing it off but stopped himself due to some footage that gained his attention. Watching the recent recording was more interesting as he shifted his focus back onto his computer and proceeded to click the rewind button.

* * *

 _Meowth found itself running through a burning house. Flames a blazed everywhere as Meowth felt the extreme heat that surrounded it. It was hard to breath do to all the smoke and it seemed that Meowth might not make it out. Meowth kept running as walls were starting to collapse. He eventually made it outside to safety. Catching his breath and breathing in the fresh air he then noticed a volcano and city were not to far away._

 _"Am I on Cinnabar Island?" It asked itself as it turned to the mansion that was still on fire. It then started to rain, as the rain poured the flames ceased. Soon after that the sun returned shining its warm rays of light. The mansion remained standing but was clearly damaged._

" _What?"_

 _Now things were getting weird. Long green, thorny vines started to grow from the ground, latching onto what was left of the burnt down building. Suddenly a strong gust of wind attacked Meowth as blades of grass flew about. Meowth ducked for cover and closed its eyes as it felt the debris and grass brush past it roughly._

" _Be Careful." It heard someone say as the strong wind continued to blow._

* * *

The sun was high in the early morning sky as the cruise ship reached the docks. They walked off the ship quietly and headed for the resort that the tickets were for. In the corner of its eye Meowth thought it saw something shiny zip by as it quickly looked back but saw nothing. Looking around he didn't see anything and felt that it was best to let it go since he was tired from not getting much sleep last night. Suddenly he thought he saw something sparkle again as he turned to see what it was. It was quick but he thought he saw an orb of light and it was really close. He rubs his eyes thinking that his mind must be playing tricks on him. Silver stopped halfway on the docks to glare at the Meowth that was taking its sweet time to get its act together. Unaware of Silver's impatience Meowth looks around some more and there it was…the orb of light…right there, right in front of it, as clear as day.

Meowth mumbles in a eerie tone, "Is this a dream?"

Silver wasn't in the mood for games as he dismissed its abnormal behavior. He then stated coldly. "I'm only staying here for the night and I'm not helping you so I suggest you quit stalling."

Meowth quickly snapped out of it and proceeded to glare at Silver.

"It was you who really wanted to come here." Silver stated point blank as if he knew what Meowth was thinking.

"I only came here because it was already paid for." He concluded. He then turned and started to make his way to the hotel as he hollered, "Now Hurry It Up!"

" _That…Jerk!"_ Meowth was upset to say the least but in all honesty Silver wasn't really the ideal human companion for this mission to begin with. Sure they shared common feelings when it came to a certain elite but at the end of the day Silver didn't have what it takes to fill Jessie and James' spot.

 _"If only they were here and not fawning all over Ryuu. They would have stayed with me."_ Meowth started to wonder around town all depressed thinking about them.

 _"If only…"_ Meowth sighed, _"I have no idea what I'm doing here. Where am I supposed to go anyway?"_ It whined to itself. It then remembered the strange dream it had on the way here.

 _"Oh yeah, a long time ago there was a mansion here that was once a lab."_

* * *

As it was walking around to find any remnants of the mansion, Meowth sees an orb of light zip by it again. It was relatively close and bright white as Meowth felt calm in its presence. Was it dreaming? Meowth rubbed its eyes, it even pinched itself trying to see if it was in any way dreaming. The orb of light was still there floating right above it…it was so close Meowth tried to reach out for it but the orb of light moved away. Wondering through town, it was as if Meowth was in a trance as he chased after the orb at a slow walking pace. He was so entranced by it that Meowth didn't realize he was wondering into the street.

 *****Beeep*****

A horn from a car beeped loudly getting Meowth to snap out of it only to see the very large car coming fast.

" _Oh no!"_ Is this the end? Meowth ducked as he prayed that by some miracle Jessie, James or even that cold-hearted Silver would come just in time to save him. He was crouched down as he remained frozen in place. Not wanting to see the car, his eyes remained shut as he heard the fast moving car close in on him. The sounds of screeching from the rubber tires echoed due to the car trying to stop but Meowth knew it didn't have enough time…he knew this was the end. Jessie and James won't come; they're with Ryuu. Silver won't come; he won't save a weak Pokémon like him…it's over.

 _"Why did I come here!?"_

Suddenly he feels someone scooping it up out of the way. Meowth felt the warmth of this someone who felt strong while holding it tightly as they both tumbled out of the way of the fast moving traffic.

* * *

 *****Ba-dum***Ba-dum***Ba-dum*****

This sound…it was the sound of some else's heart beat Meowth concluded as it felt the person's heavy breathing tickle its fur. Someone saved it…it was a human as Meowth felt the human's grip tighten some more. Meowth quickly regained its composer.

 _"Could it be…J"_ He looked up to see…filled with hope to see them. But its prayers weren't exactly answered. Instead Meowth was shocked to see it was the twerp of all people.

 _"Why…Why's he here!?"_

"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?" A woman asked.

"Are you hurt?" Another witnessed questioned.

Many humans gathered around them asking and making sure if everything was okay. Meowth couldn't take it…it didn't want to be here. It struggled to break free but the twerp wasn't willing to let go to which Meowth finally responded by biting his arm.

"Oww!"

"Pika!" Meowth heard Pikachu shout angrily but he didn't care as he ran off from the scene.

* * *

Meowth ran far away and found a dark alley to hide away from any of the populated areas. It needed a break. Breathing heavily and feeling the blood rush to its head Meowth leaned against the brick wall as a paw rested over its fast beating heart.

 _"That was…that was really scary."_ Meowth crouched down to the ground as its body continued to tremble due to such an incident.

 _"How could I not see where I was going? This was a mistake…I shouldn't have come here."_ It thought as it continued to huff and puff. Meowth pulled out the culprit that was in the shape of a strange looking key. It was an average size key but on the head of the key was a round shape with a design of what looked to be the alpha and omega symbol merged together.

 _"Would it be bad if I came all this way for nothing?"_ The key seemed to have sparked a warm light to that thought. Was it just seeing things again? Meowth observed the key a little closer.

 _"Nothing out of the ordinary."_ It sighed. _"Or maybe I'm just crazy."_ It sighed again.

Meowth stood up thinking that maybe it should try asking Silver for some help. It knew deep down how quickly he would say no but maybe there would be a way to convince him. Maybe it could find a phone and call Jessie and James. Maybe it could call Yumiko. Meowth thought that might be a good idea and started to walk away in order to call the perpetrator who sent it out here in the first place. But then suddenly a strong force grabbed it by the scruff preventing it from going anywhere.

" _Oh No! I'm being Pokénapped!"_

Meowth then realized it was the bothersome twerp again. Mixed with fear and aggravation Meowth screamed, "LET GO OF ME!" It was able to squirm enough to be able to scratch him in the face.

"OWWW!" Ash winced in pain as he regrettably lets go. Meowth tries to make its escape but Ash quickly bears with the pain of his newly acquired scratch and grabs Meowth by the arm while bending down slightly.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!?" "PIKA, PIKACHU, CHU, PIKACHU!" He yelled causing Meowth to stop squirming.

 _"What?"_

"YOU IDIOT! Don't You Ever walk into the middle of the street like that again! YOU HEAR ME!?" Ash released his firm grasp as he drop to the ground due to all the excitement. What a rush that was. Ash just couldn't comprehend it, one minute he was just walking down the sidewalk heading towards an intersection to cross. He was on his way to battle the gym leader Blaine and then the next minute he sees Meowth passing him. It was as if it didn't see him…oblivious to the fact that they were on the same sidewalk. Angered by the sight of it he was ready to confront it but it didn't stop like everyone else it just kept going. He had to take a breather as he sat there on the ground. Meowth watched the twerp's strange behavior as he pushes the lid of his hat to cover his eyes all the while was breathing heavily as well.

 _"He was scared?"_

It was barely audible but he heard the twerp mumble, "Why did you do that?"

As Ash sat there in the alleyway trying to catch his breath he felt a small paw brush against his knee ever so gently.

"Sorry" It whispered.

" _What?"_ Ash was taken by surprise as he looked up to see a shy scratch cat softly pawing his knee as it repeatedly said it was sorry.

"I'm sorry…sorry…I'm sorry." It repeated in a soft tone, mumbling its words. Ash observed the timid scratch cat sitting next to him. It refused to make direct eye contact as if it were ashamed of its dangerous act.

 _"This is a first."_ It soon stopped and became quiet as it sat there by his side refraining from making any direct eye contact but its dark blue eyes were still visible for him to see a sparkle emanate from within them.

" _Is that normal for all Meowth?"_ It's been awhile for him to be this close, has its eyes always been able to sparkle like that? He always thought its eyes seemed brighter when it was being confident but now…its nothing like that at all. He continued to quietly observe the down casted Meowth as he saw another glimmer in its eyes.

 _"Am I seeing things?"_ He asked himself as he slowly started to reach out to pet it. Meowth's ears began to twitch as it got up. It was ready to run. It turned its attention to Ash and shouted as it pointed behind him.

"Watch out!"

Ash turned to see an Ariados crawling on the side of the wall behind him. It sprayed its sticky web with enough force to have Meowth plastered against the opposite side of the alleyway. Meowth struggled to break free but it was no use as the alley gained some more intruders. They walked towards them leisurely in their intimidating all black attire. Both were wearing long black trench coats that were partially closed with the help of a black belt at the waist. It looked like they were wearing black t-shirts underneath while the collars of their black jackets were turned up and their jacket's long sleeves had multiple black belts strapped to their wrists. One of them seemed to be fancying a silver pocket watch. The chain itself was designed to look like a thorny vine. It was attached to his jacket's zipper lined pocket and a poke ball filled with a Pokémon was also hooked to the silver chain.

" _No way!"_ Meowth stopped struggling. He couldn't believe it as fear slowly started to consume him.

"Well done my Ariados." The one with short, spiky dark plum colored hair said. "It would appear that the wings of a rocket are not strong at all."

"Hm, even our vines have the strength to stop you." His partner added, who had the unique silver chain and pocket watch along with slightly longer dark plum hair.

"Just who do you think you are!?" Ash demanded. The men pushed their black shades up the bridge of their noses at such a question.

"What sprouts from the ground?" The one with short spiky hair asked.

"What twines around a home?" The man with the pocket watch added.

"We are Team Blade, we will grow where there are cracks." They said in unison.

"Team Blade!?" "Pika!" Ash exclaimed, shocked to see these people here of all places.

 _"I don't understand."_ He thought as he noticed Meowth was still struggling to break free. He rushes to help but is stopped due to the Ariados shooting a poison sting in his direction.

"Back away from that wild Meowth. It is now in our grasp and it is our right to capture it." Its trainer demanded.

"You have no right!" Ash snapped.

"Pikachu use iron tail." He pointed to the web and Pikachu does so but didn't hold back as it purposefully hits Meowth in the process.

"Jerk!" Meowth mutters as Pikachu starts to threaten it with a possible thunderbolt attack.

"How dare you interfere!" The one with the chain shouted as he unchained his Poke ball to release his Tangela. Ash ordered Pikachu to thunderbolt them he then turned to grab hold of Meowth but Meowth responded by batting his hand away with a clawless paw.

They ran off but the Blade's Pokémon were in hot pursuit as the group ran through the alleyways of Cinnabar Island's City. The Tangela was using Ariados as a ride while a tornado of leaves surrounded the two Pokémon. At will Tangela aimed to hit the fleeing trio. The sharp leaves kept on scratching them; the alley was too narrow so it was hard for Meowth to dodge every blow. The Ariados was fast as it chased them by crawling on the wall. It clearly had every intention to bring this chase to an end. It shot another sticky web but instead of hitting Meowth it shot it behind them to prevent Meowth from escaping by turning around. After it did that it quickly crawled the side of the wall to get in front of the escapee. There's nowhere to run, Ariados' sticky web from before made sure of that. The Ariados and Tangela were ready to face them head on. Ariados shoots another sticky web directly towards Meowth.

" _Oh no you don't!"_ Meowth picks up its speed and uses the wall the Ariados abandoned to avoid its attack. As the sticky web and Meowth closed in on each other Meowth leaped towards the wall then pushed itself off with all its might. As it somersaulted in the air it managed to avoid the attack as well as get around its attackers at the same time.

"Whoa!" Ash gasps excitedly.

" _Oh, I forgot he was here."_ Meowth realized as he heard the twerp's Pikachu using another thunderbolt attack.

* * *

Meowth didn't stop as it kept running. It had to get away from here. It needs to find a place that's crowed. Meowth then makes an unexpected turn for its destination. There's a large center where humans tend to gather and the hotel is nearby as well. Meowth made a few more turns, he was finally out of the tight alleyways and was getting into more populated areas. But it wasn't enough as it felt like they were still following. He kept running till the large center where humans tend to gather was in his sights. Seeing it, Meowth made its way over there with Ash and Pikachu right behind. They were finally out in the open and the hotel was straight ahead. Meowth stopped running for it was safe, the Ariados and Tangela have stopped chasing it. Meowth found a wooden post with directions on it as it leaned against it for some support due to feeling more tired than usual. It sighed out of relief that the chase was over. Meowth then felt a comforting hand resting itself on top of its head.

"I'm guessing they were never apart of your grand scheme of things back in Kalos." Ash said jokingly.

"Scheme?" Unsure what he was referencing to.

"Uh…yeah sure." It agrees with him as it batted the twerp's hand away, thinking that might be the best way to go about things.

"I'm quite impressed. You got that done quicker than I expected." A snide voice filled their ears. They turned to see Silver walking up to them.

"Actually I kind of got a little side tracked." Meowth stated bashfully, counting his blessings that someone like Silver was here with him. "You see,"

"I don't really care." Silver stopped Meowth from explaining. Silver then took the time to acknowledge Ash's existence even though he felt it was beneath him.

"I see the runner up decided to challenge Blaine. Or was the heat in the volcano to much for you?"

"Grr…I was just on my way there. It just so happens that I ran into Meowth first." "Pika!" Ash shot back to the cold gym leader.

"I can't stand it!" Ash shouted as his anger started to well up inside.

"You act like you're above it all just because you're a gym leader. I can't stand it! You don't deserve to be called a gym leader, not when your gym belongs to Team Rocket." He accused as he glared strictly towards Silver.

"You're wrong!" Silver shot back.

"That gym belongs to me." He stated defensively. Ash wasn't convinced in the slightest as he continued to glare at the dirty gym leader.

" _That's nothing to be proud of. A few days undercover and that's the most he got before getting busted. He's a bigger blockhead than Jessie and James."_ Meowth thought.

Ash was disgusted by the fact that a gym leader would bring such disgrace to the league by being affiliated with Team Rocket. He didn't want to believe it was possible, but that obnoxious Nicholas wouldn't stop talking about how great it was that the gym has been remodeled and that this jerk is supposedly a great champion in his own right. Team Rocket doesn't have champions, a champion wouldn't dare to be affiliated with such heartless criminals who treat Pokémon as if they were nothing more than a way to make a profit. The proof is all here right in front of him.

 _"This must mean Jessie and James are near by too. I will do whatever it takes to bring Team Rocket down."_ He avowed.

 _"They will never get away with this. Using the title of a gym leader…I won't let you get away with this!"_ Silver grew frustrated as Ash continued to glare at him judgingly but calmed down to regain his aloof persona.

"Tch, I don't owe you any explanations but make no mistake that gym is mine. It belongs to me…no one else!" He then turned his attention back onto Meowth noting that it seemed to be out of breath and that it had a few newly acquired scratches decorating its body.

"Quit Stalling!" Meowth tried to reason with him but Silver refused to listen.

"I don't have time to waste waiting for you. Has being with such inadequate trainers made you this pathetic?" He paused as if he was coming to a realization.

"Now that I think about it, it is a good thing. Now that you are with someone with a higher caliber he might be able to make you worth something again." Meowth's fur cringed as if something inside the small feline snapped. With nothing around but a Pikachu near by, Meowth grabs Pikachu and throws it like a football into Silver's face. Ash wasn't quick enough to react, he tried to stop it and tried to get Pikachu back but in the process of it all both he and Silver were electrocuted.

* * *

Meowth runs off and finds itself on an empty beach. Out of anger it lashes out and slices through a volleyball net that has been left unattained.

"Why is everyone such an idiot!" He asked himself as he looked to the violently thrashing waves before him and shouted.

"IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!" He then falls onto his back rolling around in the sand having a tantrum inside himself. He stops, as he's face down in the sand.

 _"So much for thinking he was on my side."_ He thought. But then Meowth remembered what Silver said back on the boat ride.

 _"I don't really care for anyone in Team Rocket."_ Silver's voice echoed. Meowth then turned to lie on its back looking up at the blue sky that was starting to change.

"What a Jerk!" He cursed him as he slowly placed its paws over its eyes not wanting to see anything or anyone.

 _"They're all Jerks!"_

* * *

As Meowth started to calm down he realized that he was going to have to find another way home after what he just did. Not only that Silver might tell the boss. Such a thought made its nerves skyrocket.

 _"What should I do? I'm in big trouble if he tells the boss."_ Just then it hears the sound of someone walking through the sand then the heavy set of a human sitting down next to it. Meowth slowly lowered its paws to take a peak to see that the twerp was sitting causally beside it while Pikachu was glaring at it from the comfort of the twerp's shoulder.

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now! Go away!" It snapped at him and rolled to its other side, refusing to face him. Ash scowled at first but couldn't hold back the smirk that crept onto his features. It was like a child throwing a tantrum as it pouted with its back turned towards him. It was surprising to him that Team Rocket was not immune to gossip and right now Meowth's little outburst in the big mess hall at headquarters has circulated a few times at the training school. From what Ash has been able to gather was that teams must have three or more to a team, meaning teams like Jessie and James was no longer the standard. And for whatever reason Meowth spoke out against their newest member and apparently the newest member of their team is highly liked in Team Rocket.

"Is something bothering you?" He treaded softly.

"Nooo, just go awaaay." It whines. Ash started to reach out a gentle hand to pet it but then Meowth rolled onto its back looking up at the night sky with a blank stare. What's it thinking about? Ash wondered as he observed the dark blue eyes that would sometimes sparkle. It took him a moment to realize it but those ghostly hallow eyes accompanied with an empty expression…it was…Meowth was gone. How could this be? So he wasn't imagining things before…but why? It's back with Team Rocket like it always wanted. Meowth then sat up straight while still containing its blank stare onto the calm moving waves in front of it before standing up slowly as if it were contemplating somewhere deep in its mind about what it should do next. Ash instinctively reached over and poked its cheek causing it to flinch slightly and look at him.

"Meowth start." Ash spoke softly.

 _"So when you were with me back in Kalos was spacing out all those times normal? Or was it something else?"_ Meowth seemed startled at first but slowly its startled expression was replaced by soft melancholy features as it turned to look at the ocean as if the loud waves that violently thrashed against the rocky shores were helping it to contemplate on what to say.

"Everything is changing." It mutters softly, "I…hate change."

A loud wave that thrashed against the rocky shore echoed as it spoke out in a dark tone before walking away. Ash quickly got up to follow it, observing it as he thought back to all the times it was spacing out and how it would take two maybe five minutes to get its attention only to have it snap at him or receive a short verbal response before slipping away from him again. He thought about the few times it said it didn't want anything to change between them. It wanted to keep things the way they were…it wanted to stay enemies.

 _"Because you knew you would meet up with Jessie and James again. That was your plan."_ He thought as he remembered what that Team Blade member told him and his friends that day.

" _They were fighting with Team Oyama and attacked Team Rocket. You said you couldn't remember anything or remember where they were. Was that the truth? No, no it wasn't. You said so yourself that you were there to get the data from Lysandre Labs. Team Blade interfered because your allies with Team Oyama. But then why…"_ Ash had to stop thinking it was hurting his brain way too much. It was way too much to speculate over every little detail. He watched the Meowth that was walking on ahead of him.

 _"In the end, I thought I had you figured out…maybe you didn't lie about everything."_ He thought.

 _"Oh yeah!"_ He suddenly remembered what happened today.

"Where are Jessie and James?" He asked since he wanted to start a conversation.

"They're with their new boyfriend!" Meowth shouted infuriatingly.

"Would you like to get some ice cream?" Ash offered, earning himself an odd stare as Meowth stopped in its tracks.

"It might make you feel better." Ash added.

"I'm not that hungry right now besides eating away your emotions is a human thing." Meowth was about to start walking again but something was nagging it. "Why are you still following me?"

"Did you seriously forget about Team Blade?" Ash countered.

"Oh," Meowth gasped slightly, "Oh yeah" it mumbled quietly to itself.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what to think anymore. I thought they attack you and your friends because you were helping their enemies in Kalos."

"Enough of this!" Meowth snapped.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." Ash was close to returning the favor but stopped himself. Having a fight right now wouldn't solve anything and he concluded that it must be tired considering such an eventful day not to mention it was getting late.

"Alright," he agreed for the moment.

"Then lets go to the Pokémon center and rest up." Meowth wanted to protest the idea.

"Come on, one night won't hurt you." The twerp insisted. Meowth reluctantly agreed seeing that Silver most likely was already gone.

 _"I guess I could find the mansion once the kid is asleep."_ Meowth thought since he did have a mission to complete.

* * *

Both seemed to be unaware of a Honchkrow flying above them. Strapped around its neck was a camcorder. It circled around its target from above before flying back to its trainer. The window was left open for it to enter as Honchkrow perched itself on the bedpost. It eyed its trainer as Silver ignored its return. He was preoccupied watching Honchkrow's latest recordings on his tablet. Silver seemed annoyed more than usual as he turned his attention back onto the TV in the room. It had one of his surveillance tapes in it. He had it paused at the moment Meowth sliced through one of the rocks that was blasted towards it. He reached for the remote and unpaused it to watch the rest only to rewind it and watch it again.

"Hon!" Seeing that it's master was busy, Honchkrow signaled its leave as it flapped its wings to take off once again.

* * *

Meowth aimlessly followed the twerp. He really didn't want to deal with the twerp but he had to admit the twerp wasn't as annoying this time around. Suddenly he thought he saw something sparkle in the corner of his eye. He turned to see what it was but nothing was there. He returned to follow the twerp but then he saw something shiny again so he turned and there it was. The orb of light from before…it was so close that he could almost touch it.

"Pi…Pika Pi." Pikachu got Ash's attention of the scratch cat that has fallen behind. He turned to see that Meowth seemed to be reaching for something that wasn't there.

"Meowth?" It didn't respond as its attention was clearly on something else.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked as he grew suspicious of its odd behavior.

"I think I'm dreaming." Meowth responded in an eerie tone. Ash wasn't sure what to make of such a strange response. Meowth quickly reached out its paw again grabbing nothing put air. Meowth looked to its paw then back up again to look at nothing.

"Uhh…Meowth?" Ash was finally able to say as he was unsure of what to make of its abnormal behavior. Meowth seemed to finally snap out of it as it looked up to him with a puzzled look of its own.

"I'm sure after a good night's rest you'll be fine." Ash suggested. Meowth turned back to see the orb of light but it was gone.

"I guess." It murmured not really in the mood to argue. As they continued to close in on their destination with the Pokémon center right up ahead, Meowth saw the orb of light once again as it flew by. It was right there…right above him. It started to float away…did it what him to follow it again? Meowth didn't really second-guess it as if his body had a mind of its own.

"Pi…Pika Pi!" Pikachu alerted Ash.

"Meowth? Hey! Where you going?" He chased after it.

"Hey wait up!" Ash heard Meowth cry out as it started to pick up its speed.

 _"What's gotten into you?"_ He thought as he kept on his pursuit for the scratch cat Pokémon.

* * *

Meowth had to chase it. The orb of light flew fast so Meowth had to pick up its speed. It had to…it just had to follow it. Unfortunately the orb of light got away but on the bright side Meowth stumbled upon the burnt down mansion it was thinking about investigating later. The mansion was large but clearly damaged from the fire that broke out years ago. Panting heavily as it kneeled down in its place.

 _"I feel like the wind has been knocked right out of me. I'm so tired."_

"Meowth!" Ash hollered as he finally caught up with it. Out of breath himself he said, "Boy your fast."

"I've lost it." He heard it mumble. Ash was confused to say the least but decided not to dwell on it. After regaining his composer Ash was ready to repeat himself by calmly suggesting that Meowth should come to the Pokémon center with him.

"Ah!" Meowth whispered a small gasp as its attention was forced to look the other way. It got up as if it were filled with some unknown energy as if it were ready to run again.

The orb of light returned as it was floating right above Meowth. He then felt something warm in his possession. He reached for the key and it was glowing.

"What?" It mumbled.

"Where did you get that key?" Ash asked.

"It's glowing." Meowth muttered, it obviously didn't hear him.

"Glowing?" Ash looked to the key in its paws and it looked like a typical key to him. Meowth looked to the orb of light above him then back to the glowing key.

 _"So I wasn't seeing things before. This must mean it's inside." He concluded and started to head for the burnt down mansion but was stopped as he felt a strong hand grab its small shoulder._

"What's going on here?" Ash asked in a slightly demanding tone.

"Well…I…its…" Meowth slurred unsure how to answer.

"It's for Team Rocket, isn't it?"

"Sort of…its for Yumiko."

"Yumiko?"

"A strange man came by," Meowth explained quietly, he figured it was his only option seeing that the twerp wasn't going away any time soon. "I think there's something important inside so she sent me to retrieve it."

"I see…so that's where you've been all this time."

"Huh?" Meowth looked at him oddly as Ash quickly realized his mistake of revealing too much.

"Ah…I uh…what I meant to say was it sounds like you don't hang out with Jessie and James anymore." Meowth seemed satisfied with Ash's quick save. It sighed as it responded.

"We had a fight." Meowth answered melancholy.

"I'll go back to them once they've realized how stupid they've been acting." It said with a little more confidence but the tone of sorrow still resonated within its voice.

"I see." Ash replied.

 _"I guess it's that bad."_ He thought as he observed the melancholy Pokémon before him.

 _"Are you thinking about them?"_ He smirked quietly to himself as it seemed that Meowth was spacing out a bit. He bent down to its level and reached out to start petting it gently on the top of its head.

"I get it." Ash told it.

"Let's go find it." He moved his hand to start scratching behind its ear, feeling the soft fur once again as he forgot what it felt like.

"Oh yeah…I forgot how soft your fur is…amazing." Meowth was taken back at first by how close the twerp was but it soon quickly registered what was happening as it started to fume in pure hot rage.

As if it were a hot teapot ready to explode it shouted, "WOULD YOU STOP DOING THAT!?" He pushed the twerp off of him.

"Geez, you're so annoying!"

"I don't get it, you are a cat, aren't you? Shouldn't you like stuff like that?"

"Maybe some stupid pet does but I don't! So Quit It!"

"Pika! Pikachu, Chu!" Pikachu shouted.

"Alright, Alright." Ash chuckled slightly at its ridiculous behavior. He petted Pikachu to calm his friend down then stood up and headed towards the burnt down building.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go find it!" He said encouragingly.

"But this is for Team Rocket." Meowth was puzzled by the twerp's willingness.

"Yeah but it doesn't sound like your stealing anything."

"But you hate Team Rocket."

"I do but I'm curious now." Meowth seemed to understand the need to fulfill one's own curiosity as he nodded slightly. Meowth looked up and saw the orb of light once again. The orb of light quickly zipped past it and entered the burnt down mansion so Meowth ran past Ash to follow it. Ash picked up the pace to keep up with it as they both entered through an opening in the building. Meowth looked to the key that it was holding noting that it stopped glowing after arriving in front of the burnt down mansion.

"It stopped glowing." Meowth mumbled to itself as Ash overheard it. Meowth moved forward across the rubble due to how quickly it grew tired. He leaned against the post that belonged to the grand staircase in front of them for support.

 _"Why do I feel this way?"_ It digs its claws into the wooden post trying to give itself a mental push to keep going. Ash was about to say something but then Meowth's and even Pikachu's ears started to twitch.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"It's nothing, it sounds like the wood is barely holding up."

"But I can't hear anything."

"That's because you're a human. A Pokémon's hearing is far better than any human's."

"Oh."

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

Just then a creaking noise that was much closer echoed through the damaged hallways.

"Oh, I hear it!" Meowth ignored him as it made its way through the rubble. Its ears continued to twitch; moving like little radars, it seemed like Meowth was fixated on something.

"Are you trying to see if it's something else?" Ash asked as he noted Meowth was still fixated on the sounds while Pikachu was sitting comfortably on his shoulder not really worried at all. Meowth didn't answer as if it was trying to ignore him.

"Do you think it could be Team Blade?" Meowth stopped and looked at him all the while its ears were still moving like little radars.

 _"That got your attention."_

"No, I don't." Meowth replied monotonously.

" _A straight answer…that's a first."_ Ash thought as Meowth started to walk away.

"Wait!" Meowth stopped to look at him again.

"It's just that you seem a little on edge, more than usual." Meowth continued to stare at him emotionlessly.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

"Wait a minute, is this some sort of trap?" "Pika, Chu." Ash quickly grew suspicious of the quiet Pokémon standing before him in the old rickety mansion.

"That's what this is, isn't it!?" "Pikachu, Pika, Pika, Chu." He declared accusingly.

"You're such a stupid twerp!" Meowth shouted back. He's had it…it was as if this day was never going to get any better. "Don't blame me just because you're easy to fool. If you think it's a trap than quit following me."

"Why you…this is just like before…it's just like Kalos!"

"Kalos?" Meowth couldn't take it anymore as it shouted venomously at the twerp for even daring to bring up such a time.

"Not once did I ask for your help! Not now and most definitely not in Kalos! I didn't ask you to follow me! You did that all on your own! If you want to be angry with someone than be angry with yourself for being so gullible!" Meowth ran off as Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder to chase it down.

"Pika!"

* * *

Meowth hid in the shadows of the burnt rubble as he watched the twerp and Pikachu pass him. Hiding quietly in the dark was practically second nature to Meowth so it was easy to give them the slip. He then felt something warm in his possession for it was the key glowing again. As he looked at the key he heard someone walking towards him. Meowth ducked hoping the twerp didn't find him.

"I'm glad you came." Meowth heard a familiar voice, it sounded like that man who visited Yumiko. As Meowth felt the odd sensation enter its body, it took a peak to see the disheveled old man standing right there before him.

"It's this way." He pointed down the hall. Meowth followed him and the man led it to an area of the house that was severely damaged. Beams from the upper floors have crashed into this room and the smell of a fire still resonated within the charred wood.

"There was a painting on that wall." He pointed to where there was nothing but damage. There was no wall or a painting just one big mess.

"Would you please look for it." Meowth moved forward and went underneath the wreckage. He maneuvered around the tight spaces and was careful not to step onto anything sharp like the loose nails that fell out of their place. It took a while but Meowth did find a large framed painting. It was damaged as well but Meowth was able to make out that there were mountains covered with trees. Meowth tried to move the heavy painting but it was stuck. He couldn't lift this thing…maybe if he took it out of the frame. Meowth tried the best that he could to take what little remained of the painting by failed miserably as it ripped apart.

" _I hope he wasn't too attached to it."_ Meowth thought nervously but then saw something peculiar inside the frame. It was a typical large rich human frame but it didn't look like the typical insides of a frame. Meowth pushed the rest of the destroyed painting out of the way to reveal that the frame was a safe. He took the glowing key and tried to see if this was it. It started to unlock but it turned out that this frame like safe was equipped with digital accessories and required a password.

 _(Jungle.)_ Meowth heard the man say and typed it in. He opened the safe only to find another key.

" _Seriously!?"_ Confused to find another key that looks exactly the same, Meowth didn't know what to make of it. Meowth grabbed the new glowing key in the safe and proceeded to meet up with the mysterious old man in the white lab coat with burn marks. As the intoxicating sensation grew stronger in the man's company.

Meowth mumbled. "Another key?" The man nodded.

"There's one more safe that's upstairs before you can go down into the study." Meowth and the man walked back to the front entrance where the grand staircase was located.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

" _Do you think it could be Team Blade?"_ The twerp's question echoed as Meowth heard the sounds of the weakening wood planks while making his way up the stairs.

 _"I honestly forgot about them."_ Meowth thought as his nerves were getting the better of him. The upper hallway floors were weak due to the damage as there were a few areas with holes in the floor, not to mention the floors themselves felt like they could break at any minute.

"Did you come here alone?" The man inquired to which Meowth nodded.

"In that room. In the safe by the corner." The man pointed out a room two doors down.

"The password is 'Ji.'" He stayed by the staircase. As Meowth walked towards the room two doors down he heard the man say, _(Be Careful.)_

It was easier this time around because most of the damage was on the roof in this area revealing the night sky. There were a few holes in the floor but Meowth was able to make its way just fine. It walked into the room and saw the safe in the corner. Luckily there was an end table for Meowth to climb up on to reach the safe that was at a human's height. He took the plain key and proceeded to unlock and type in the password revealing the last key.

 _"So after I go downstairs, I can go home."_ Meowth thought as it looked at the unique key that would sometimes glow. Meowth's ears twitched to the sound of something sliding down from the hole in the ceiling. Turning around only to be blasted with a yellow dust cloud.

 *****Cough, Cough*****

Meowth couldn't help but breathe in the toxic stun pore that it was hit with by the Tangela riding the Ariados who was hanging by a thread from its spider web. They weren't alone either as Meowth was able to see through the holes of the rooftop that their trainers were outside flying high on their Tropius. With the little energy that it had left no thanks to that stun pore attack, Meowth quickly combined its flash with double team to make a quick escape with the cold key in its paws. Meowth could barely run but he had to force himself through the pain to get out of there. It ran down the stairs but lost its balance and tumbled the rest of the way.

* * *

Ash ran towards the loud commotion thinking he would find Meowth but came out empty handed.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

A loud creek from the wood planks could be heard as Ash saw something fly in the corner of his eye. He turned to see a Honchkrow who perched itself on one of the high chandlers before it flew off again. As it flew away Ash saw something much bigger behind it. Through one of the many burnt holes in the roof Ash saw what looked like a Tropius flying around. He then heard loud commotion coming from another section in the mansion.

"Come on Pikachu we need to go find Meowth!" Ash ran off with great haste as the feeling of guilt came over him for jumping to such hasty conclusions.

 _"Can you blame me?"_ He thought but quickly remembered the attack from Team Blade earlier and that Meowth most likely did come here with Silver instead of Jessie and James.

"Ugh…this is all too confusing!" Ash screamed as if his brain was about to explode due to all the overthinking.

"Meowth when I find you…you better explain yourself…you hear me!?" He shouted as he ran through the tattered halls, up ahead he heard some more commotion as he stumbled upon the scratch cat Pokémon in question. It was at the bottom of the grand staircase having trouble getting up and in lighting speed vine wipes were seen coming from a Tangela as it wiped Meowth's back while its partner Ariados sprayed Meowth with its strong web to bind it down. Meowth was desperately trying to break away but was clearly worn out by their pursuit.

"Pikachu use iron tail!" Pikachu did so by aiming for the web like substance to free Meowth.

"Pikachu thunderbolt them!" Pikachu made a direct hit. While they were battling Meowth tried to escape them all. However Meowth was having trouble going at a fast pace as Ash and Pikachu quickly joined its side. Ash picked it up, Meowth tried to put up a fight but to no avail as Ash held onto it tightly and ran for cover hoping to find a good spot to hide from their assailants. He ran into what looked like to be a kitchen that had a door with a small round window. It seemed stable enough to hold long enough for them to regroup and think of a good plan.

"Put Me Down!" Meowth whined as it was finally able to wiggle away, only to fall clumsy due to the combination of stun pore and the tall height of a human. Meowth didn't want to deal with him…it didn't want to deal with any of them. It was breathing heavily as the stun pore's effect was growing stronger.

"I think we're safe here for the time being." Ash was looking out the small window before he turned to the small feline that was hunched over trembling while sitting on its knees. Ash rush over to its side.

"Are you alright?" He reached out a comforting hand only to have it be slapped away earning himself a small scratch.

"Ow!" He winced.

"Don't Touch Me!" Meowth snapped and turned its back towards him.

"Don't get mad at me! I'm not your enemy here!" Ash snapped back as he noticed that Meowth seemed ill due to its heavy breathing.

 _"It must be from all that running around and being ganged up on."_ He thought.

"Maybe I have something that can help you." Ash said as he removed his backpack and started to look for something like a potion that could help.

"Oh that's right…I still haven't gone to the Pokémon center yet." He whined loudly as he eyed his quiet distraction of the day. Meowth seemed like it was trying its best to ignore him, not wanting to converse at all as it kept its back towards him. All the while the unnerving creaking sounds from the floors and walls of the broken down house due to the other intruders made the silent room they were hiding in unbearable.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

 *****Click, Click, Click*****

"They sound pretty determined. I remember that Team Blade was a problem for Team Rocket back in Kalos too."

"Kalos…" Meowth mumbled then yelled, "STOP Bringing up Kalos!" It glared at him menacingly as the venom in its words only grew as it continued shouting.

"I don't want to talk about Kalos. I don't even want to think about Kalos! I HATE KALOS!"

Meowth couldn't stand to look at the stupid twerp's face anymore as it turned its back to him once more. The effects of the stun pore made any movement intolerable as he raised its paws to cover its eyes…it couldn't take it anymore! It just wants this day to end. Ash didn't know what to say as he stared at the back of the small ruffled scratch cat Pokémon. He sat back down and calmly turned his back towards the small feline as well.

 _"Maybe another time."_ He thought quietly as they both listened to the disturbing sounds of movement from their foes.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

 *****Click, Click, Click*****

* * *

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

 *****Click, Click, Click*****

After some time passed, Ash asked,

"Did you find what you're looking for?" It was quiet and it seemed that Meowth wasn't going to answer him but it did by iterating a soft "No."

"Let's go find it." Ash stood up, ready to go outside.

"We're not accomplishing anything if we just wait it out in here." He stated as another sound echoed from above.

 *****Squeak, Clank*****

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

 *****Click, Click, Click*****

"No, I don't want to." Meowth replied.

"It's pointless, I can't do it." It spoke softly as if it were holding in the tears as it cried out its frustrations uncontrollably.

"Coming here on my own is probably the most stupidest thing I have ever done. What was I thinking?" It spoke softly as its emotions started to rise to the surface.

 _"Maybe I should have apologized. I wouldn't be in this mess if I had kept my mouth shut. This…this is all my fault isn't it?"_

"Don't say that!" Ash interrupted Meowth's train of thought. "You can do it. I don't really understand what's going on but what I do know is that you were able to defeat Team Blade before. You stayed up all two nights and battled a Primeape all so you could defeat them. You did that."

"That was different!" Meowth shouted, clearly not taking the words of praise well.

"I didn't choose to be there. All I wanted was to return to Team Rocket. Team Blade…Kalos…I just want to forget it ever happened." It was really crying as it whined out its frustrations.

Ash squeezed the door handle that would lead them into battle as he listened to the muffled sniffles, reminiscing once again about those times in Kalos. It was no picnic no thanks to a certain uncooperative Pokémon. They had countless of arguments and Meowth refused to tell them anything. Once he found out why it all made sense that it was because Meowth was given a mission to fulfill. But would he really want to forget it all? No…no he wouldn't. Despite the inevitable outcome it wasn't all that bad. He never would have appreciated it for the unique Pokémon that it truly is if it weren't for those times. It can talk, read and write and it seems happier when it learns something knew…something so simple like a new word. If it weren't for Kalos he would have never seen the fighting spirit that exists within Meowth. No, it wasn't all that bad some of it was actually good.

"Meowth, let's go find what your looking for." He asserted.

"I told you it's pointless."

"No it's not!" Ash snapped.

"I don't have anything that could help you but I know you're strong enough to manage. Now quit your whining and let's go finish what you've started." Meowth was quiet, it was confused by his words. Perplexed by the twerp's persistence for it was odd to hear such words being directed towards it by a boy that has been its enemy for so long.

"Why? You do realize by helping me your helping Team Rocket?"

"Honestly, I don't know why. All I know is that you're alone and Team Blade is out there." He eyed the door that protected them. "I guess I'm just curious to see how this will all end."

"That's not a real answer." Meowth stated softly and Ash was about to snap at it for its hypocrisy.

"Then again I don't have a real answer myself. This is definitely not how I imagined this day would be like." Meowth said aggravatingly as his mind went back to Jessie and James being enamored by Ryuu. Meowth slowly got up as the stun pore's effects remained.

"I guess it would be pointless to give up now too." Meowth said as it smirked slightly to itself. Ash smiled back as Meowth continued.

"Let's get this over with. There's a room with potted plants downstairs. That's where I was headed before they attacked me."

"How do you know that?"

"It's what the guy told me." Meowth stated nonchalantly.

* * *

Meowth was on high alert as its little ears acted as radars, trying to keep track of their foe's movements while the building itself shook due to the constant weight that the wood floors could barely hold. They found a staircase that would lead them to the bottom floor, the stairs were just as damaged from the fire that happened here. Meowth was able to move down just fine but the twerp was cramping its stealthy style as his weight kept making the wood of the stairs react to each step he made. Meowth decided it was best to ditch the noisy twerp, despite the stun pore slowing it down he had to make a run for it.

"Hey, don't go on ahead!" "Pika, Pikachu!" Ash demanded. Meowth stopped to glare at the pesky twerp.

"I wouldn't need to if it weren't for you giving away our location." Ash sped it up so he could keep up but unfortunately that wasn't a smart move for one of the stairs broke causing him to fall.

"AHHHH!" "PIIKAA!" They fell through causing a loud crash.

"Ow…" "Pika…" They both said dizzily. He shook off the hard fall as he saw Meowth went on ahead.

"Hey! Stop!" "Pikachu!"

" _This twerp is going to be the end for me!"_ Meowth thought irritatingly as the loud, carefree human continued to follow. Meowth slowed down rather quickly as its running pace turned into a fast walk due to the stun pore. It was really pushing its limit as its breathing was getting heavier as well as its body was feeling heavier.

 _(This way.)_ Meowth heard the familiar voice as it looked up ahead. It picked up the pace once again just as Ash caught up to it.

 _(In here.)_ Meowth saw the man standing by the doorway to the in home office that had the potted plants decorating the space. The room seemed to be in better shape compared to the rest of the mansion as Meowth walked in to find whatever this glowing key was protecting.

 _(In the closet.)_ Meowth moved forward to a large wooden door that was still in tack. Meowth needed to jump to reach the door handle but its energy was draining out rapidly. It tried to reach for it but it was too small.

 _"I'm at my limit."_ Meowth then saw a hand make its way around the handle as he saw the twerp making an attempt to open the door. It was stuck at first but with a little extra effort Ash was able to open it. They peered inside to see some old coats and in the back of the walk in closet was another safe that was also to high for Meowth to reach. Meowth felt the key becoming warmer in its possession. Meowth pulled it out and the key was brighter than before.

"I see, so this is what that key is for." Ash noted as he saw the keyhole.

"Alright, hand it over." He requested since the safe was out of reach for Meowth. However Meowth didn't hear him as it was focusing on the plain key in its paws.

"Don't go spacing out on me again. We don't have time for this." "Pika, Pikachu, Pika, Chu." He chastised the expressionless Pokémon. He bent down to its level and poked its cheek once again.

"Meowth start." He said while failing to hide his growing impatience. Meowth flinched slightly as it looked to Ash.

"Hand over the key so I can open it." Ash repeated. Meowth seemed reluctant but one look at how high the safe was, was enough to convince Meowth to do so.

"Thank you." Ash said. As he took hold of the key he was taken off guard of the sparks of light in Meowth's eyes.

 _"Am I seeing things?"_ He asked himself as he unconsciously leaned in to get a better look all the while reaching out to pet it.

"Don't you dare." Meowth warned causing Ash to back away.

Ash sighed, "I really don't get you. Most Pokémon like being petted."

"That's because their idiots." Meowth declared.

"Pika…" Pikachu warned to which Ash quickly pacified so they could all get out of here in one piece. Ash used the key to unlock the safe but it turned out to be electronic and needed a password.

"Go on type it in." Meowth insisted. Ash was puzzled, he didn't know what to type in.

"I don't know the password."

"He just said it was _'Faraway.'_ " Meowth stated.

" _He?"_ It didn't sound like Meowth was trying to pull his leg. He decided not to dwell on it as he typed in the password, unlocking the safe to reveal it was protecting a book. Ash pulled it out, observing that the book was very old with loose papers within its bind.

"A Book!?" Meowth screamed. "You mean I had to endure stun pore for a stupid book!?"

"Stun pore?"

"Why couldn't it have been gold? Or Chocolate?" It continued to whine.

"Three safes for this? That's Ridiculous! I can't believe she sent me out here for this! Why that…" Meowth stopped its rant midway as something loose fell out of the folds of the old book. Meowth picked it up and looked it over.

"Oh…that's a little better." Ash took a look at it as well but the writing was hard to make out, it looked like it was in a different language. The paper was really old so it was hard to make out the fading ink. It also looked like there were some drawings of pillars or maybe it was a dome of some kind.

"What is it?" Ash finally asked. Meowth seemed to be in a daze again as it quickly snapped out of it to answer.

"It's nothing. But now I understand the sense of urgency, let's just say it's a good thing that Team Blade didn't find it first." Ash wondered as Meowth started to reach for the book.

 _"Is this normal between teams? You're acting like this is a normal everyday occurrence."_ Ash was about to ask Meowth but quickly remembered something that was far more important.

"Wait a minute, you said you were hit by stun pore." Ash exclaimed as he pulled back the book.

"Hey, give me the book."

"I thought you were just tired, I didn't know that you were actually hit with stun pore. You should have told me! How is it that you're still moving?"

"It's not like I was hiding it real well. Besides, any Pokémon trainer with a half a brain should be able to recognize the symptoms." Meowth said snidely.

"I didn't know." Ash said softly.

"That's because twerps like you can't see far beyond your own nose." Meowth criticized harshly. "Now hand it over, I don't got all day."

"Let me hold on to it." Ash insisted, "I'll give it to you after we go to the Pokémon center, I promise."

"But I want to hold it." Meowth whined in protest.

"Fine, I'll let you hold it but then your going to have to let me carry you the rest of the way."

"Eh!?"

"You must be worn out if you've been dealing with the effects of stun pore all this time. Let me carry you to the Pokémon center."

"No way!"

"Than you're not getting the book until after the Pokémon center. Decide!" Ash knew he was pushing it but he figured since Meowth tends to be stubborn in these situations giving it an ultimatum was for the best. Meowth was beyond aggravated by the twerp's actions but couldn't deny that it was past its limit. They were practically in a battle house with Team Blade surveying the burnt down mansion.

" _Book now or book later. Book now or book later."_ Meowth had to ponder over such a tough decision as it sat down in its place.

 _"I get the book."_ That was a pleasant thought. _"But I don't want to be carried."_ It whined internally.

 _"I guess it wouldn't be so bad to let him carry it…but I want it Now! But then he'll carry me…this is hard!"_ Meowth was clearly having an internal struggle with itself as Ash started to grow impatient while watching the scratch cat's expressions change due to the negative or positive thoughts that circulated its mind.

 _"Seriously? It really shouldn't be this difficult. Just make up your mind."_ To that thought Meowth finally got up as it looked grimly.

"I guess." It mumbled quietly as if it were defeated.

"I guess I could," suddenly a yellow light beam came in blasting the safe that was behind them. They turned to see it was the Ariados with the Tangela riding its back. The Tangela fired a solar beam and was preparing another.

"Pikachu use thunderbolt!"

"Pika…CHUUUUUUU!"

Breathing heavily due to exhaustion Meowth saw its opportunity and swiped the book out of twerp's hands.

"Hey!" The twerp shouted. Meowth, being the opportunist that it is used the Pokémon battle as a distraction so it could escape.

 _"I don't know how long I can hold up."_ It's so tired and the stun pore isn't helping either. After Pikachu was done using its thunderbolt on the Pokémon it quickly hopped onto Ash's shoulder as they both ran after that darn Meowth.

* * *

They managed their way back upstairs but were suddenly ambushed as a few solar beams came their way. Meowth scurried through the wreckage. The house itself was falling apart due to those attacks. Razor leaves, solar beams and poison sting attacks all seemed to be coming at them as Meowth led them outside into the courtyard of the mansion which had a grand view of the ocean since the mansion itself was situated near a cliff. Meowth kept running till he reached the edge, looking down at the large rocks that the waves splashed against roughly. The Team Blade agents came charging downwards on their Tropius while their Ariados and Tangela came charging as well. Ash stood in front of Meowth ready to call out one of his Pokémon to battle.

"GAAAARRRR!" A ferocious roar was heard as a giant Gyarados came out of the sea from behind them. It wasn't alone for it had a rider. The Gyarados readied its attack and fired a strong flamethrower against all the adversaries. The Gyarados then lowered its head as if its next target was Ash and Meowth. They were nervous as the giant creature contained its natural glare while its rider jumped off.

" _Silver?"_ Meowth was flabbergasted to say the least. _"Why…I thought he left."_

"Some birthday this turned out to be." Silver mumbled carelessly as he eyed the bothersome scratch cat.

"You owe me!" He declared as he closed in on it and grabbed it forcefully.

"Ow…Hey." Meowth tried to squirm away, Silver was rough as he took hold of it by the nap of its neck as if it were just a plaything.

"Hey! Give it back!" Ash yelled to which Silver glared at him menacingly.

"You're Giovanni's boy, you're Silver." The agent with short spiky hair spoke up to gain their attention. Silver turned his glare onto the people who dared to talk about his linage.

"What dark hole did you creeps crawl out of?"

"We are,"

"I don't really care." Silver interrupted.

"But mention my Father's name again and I'll destroy you!" He proceeded to forcefully drag Meowth towards his Gyarados as Meowth struggled to break free from his painfully strong grip.

"We know all about you," The agent continued. "A gym leader who has ties to Team Rocket."

"Ties that can never be severed." His partner with the silver chain chimed in. "The son of Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket. Fate was not kind to you."

"We offer you a branch of partnership. If you wish for Viridian City Gym to truly be yours then you should consider joining us." The spikey haired agent concluded.

"Gyarados!" Silver shouted as Gyarados prepared to use another flamethrower attack. As the fire was released the Team Blade agents quickly called back their Pokémon as they all left the scene.

"You're the Team Rocket boss's son?" Ash couldn't believe such a fact.

"Heh, surprised?" Silver smirked, while the facts were a nuisance to him seeing someone as self-righteous as this kid to be filled with shock was undeniably satisfying.

"I don't really like talking about my linage. It's not ideal but I tend to stay out of his affairs and he does the same for me." Silver proceeded to leave with Meowth in hand but Ash forced him to stop as he got into his way. He felt the warm breath of Silver's Gyarados as he nervously tried to ignore Gyarados' threatening aura.

"Wait, you don't have to leave. Why don't we go to the Pokémon center? We could rest up and talk there." "Pikachu, Chu, Pika, Pikachu."

"Stay out of my way!" He pushed Ash out of his way but Ash refused to move as he attempted to pull Meowth away from him.

"Well you can't just take it. Meowth needs to go to the Pokémon center."

"Ow, ow, stop, stop! Let go of me twerp!" Meowth yelled as a Honchkrow came in and tackled Ash in the face. Honchkrow then perched itself on Gyarados' dark blue crest that's on its head.

"Hon!" It cawed.

"What gives you the authority to tell me what to do? This thing doesn't belong to you. If you wanted it so badly than maybe you should have tried capturing it. You're nothing compared to me. You're just a runner up…a Pokémon trainer that's not commendable of anything." He proceeded to close in on his Gyarados who lowered its head so Silver could hop on. Silver then turned back to the trainer that was pushed to the ground.

"He, He," He chuckled viciously.

"It's not everyday that I run into someone like you. A deal's a deal…15 badges...that is if you can handle such a challenge, Runner up." He hopped onto his Gyarados and they sailed away leaving Ash and Pikachu alone.

* * *

Silver finally released his death grip on Meowth. Meowth was actually thankful for Silver showing up. It held onto the book tightly as it wanted to express its thanks.

"Silver,"

"You failed!"

"What?"

"This was not a blastastic birthday. You owe me!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Meowth said softly. "But look I succeeded in getting the book."

"I don't care."

"Uh…well…thank you."

"Just Shut Up! This was a complete waste of my time, when we get back to the gym I'm going to make you pay!"

Meowth got extremely nervous as to want he intends to do seeing that it did throw a Pikachu into his face…who knows what kind of retaliation he has in mind.

* * *

Gyarados dropped them off near Viridian City. Silver called it back to its poke ball but Meowth couldn't help but notice the strange dark red orange lights along with dark clouds of smoke.

"Hey look at that." Meowth pointed it out.

"It looks like it's coming from the city." Silver concluded. They were curious as to what it was but weren't in a rush as they made their way back into the city. As they saw the city skyline it was covered in dark clouds of smoke as they saw a section of town that was a blazed. Most of it seemed to be under control but the location of the fire was troubling. Silver then rushed over to see with Meowth right behind him and it was just as Silver feared. It was the gym that was caught on fire.

"No way!" Meowth gasped while Silver was at a loss for words.

"My gym." It was almost inaudible but Meowth was able to hear Silver's anguish over such a loss. It must have been one strong fire seeing all the smoke and damage. Now it looked like everything has been under control for awhile as they watched the firefighters get the remaining flames.

"MEOWTH….MEOWTH!" Meowth heard familiar voices scream. Meowth turned to see Jessie and James running towards it frantically. They both collapsed and squeezed it in one big group hug, sobbing.

"Thank the Heavens you're alright!" James exclaimed.

"We thought we lost you! Where were you!?" Jessie cried.

"We were so worried!" They both said. Meowth didn't know what to say as it felt their tears wetting its fur.

 *****Ba-dum***Ba-dum***Ba-dum*****

Hearing their heartbeats pounding as if they were in a state of shock. It smelled the mixture of hot smoke from the fire and the salt water from their tears.

"I'm sorry." It whimpered as tears started to form.

"I'm sorry…I promise I will never leave you." Meowth broke down as it cried.

"Do you…Do you promise to never to leave me?" It asked tearfully.

"Of course! Of course!" They cried in unison.

"Us three will always be together!" James bawled.

"We're a team! We'll always be a team Meowth!" Jessie wept. Meowth continued to cry as it heard them say that, thanking them, apologizing to them all the while a few Rockets, Rocketeers and other Pokémon watched the grieving trio that were happily reunited.

* * *

Author notes:

Team Blade

I said this in the last story when they were introduced but I will repeat myself here. I'm trying to give Team Blade a gothic steam punk vibe. I think it might come off as more matrixy but really the gothic steam punk look is what I'm really going for.

Ash

Like I said earlier, Ash most likely came off OOC much more in this chapter. I will say this and I'm sure you can tell that I don't think highly of Ash's intelligence. I had him act that way because this is how I perceive his character to react in these given situations. Although I will admit I don't really think he would be that willing to help Meowth like he did when knowing its for Team Rocket.

Maybe my perception is wrong but him forgetting things or flipping as easy as he does doesn't seem that hard for him to do. Like I said many times before Ash is set in his ways and I feel that being around someone that has tricked you many times before is very hard to just blindly trust without second guessing it. I think Ash does have a quick forgiving nature but I also remember that being under special circumstances although I might be remembering this wrong. Either way I don't see him as a very intelligent character hence why he has to have friends to fill in that void. Yeah his flipping on a dime may seem out of place and annoying especially when all the evidence clearly points out to him that what he thinks isn't really the case. But hopefully I wrote him out well enough for it to make sense why he is so quick to jump to conclusions.

Meowth's ninja like skills

Okay hopefully that scene wasn't too farfechted. I wasn't trying to make it seem like Meowth did the impossible. I was trying to emphasize that Meowth just has good speed and was able to calculate how to use the wall as a way to catapult itself around its adversaries. Its stuff that you see all the time in shows with special agents that have karate like skills.

Also I couldn't find anything to support this but from my understanding stun pore is painful for the characters in the anime which is why they don't move and are sometimes treated as if they had a cold. I could be wrong on this but that's what I remember.

Silver and Meowth

I don't know why but I really like the dynamics between these two. Silver was something I had to really think about if I wanted to include him in the story overall. He's actually probably my favorite rival in all the games because I liked his character growth. I think seeing him included with the Rocket gang in some way would be super awesome cause he is sort of like the straight man and Meowth has always been that character in the gang that either swings from serious to playfully stupid with its fellow teammates. So to me putting those two characters together always seemed like a perfect set up.

Cinnabar Island

Now for the big Donphan in the chapter. Like I said earlier the anime makes Cinnabar Island look like a bigger city. A tourist hotspot but a city compared to its game counterpart. So there being cars, streets and alleyways shouldn't be to big of a stretch.

In the games there's a burnt down mansion where a lab used to be on Cinnabar Island. It's where Dr. Fuji helped Team Rocket create Mewtwo. BTW...there will be no Mewtwo in this story and the man that was in this chapter you could argue its Dr. Fuji but really the man will most likely remain nameless and is most likely someone else. In the games you are to look for a key to get access to the gym and in the mansion you find a journal that has passages talking about a Jungle on Faraway Island and the pages are signed by Ji. Faraway Island is said to be in the Hoenn region hence why the keys have the omega and alpha symbols to pay homage to that.


	11. Illusions

Author Notes:

Japanese Apartments

Okay something to keep in mind. Japanese apartments are small. Japanese housing in general is very different. A two bedroom apartment in Japan is not very big...this is comparing to American/western standards. Pokemon is from Japan. Kanto is a real region in Japan. The characters from Kanto, Johto and maybe even Sinnoh and Hoenn are the Pokemon world's equivalent to Japan/Japanese people so therefore they have to have some Japanese aesthetics. The basic setup of a Japanese home is an entrance called a Genkan. You see this a lot in animes, its where the characters take their shoes off. Japanese apartments and general housing mostly come with some outdoor area like a balcony because dryers are not a common practice in the daily Japanese lifestyle. That's why you always see clothes hanging to dry in animes because that is the common practice. Traditionally a lot of Japanese housing is not insulated. They don't use central cooling or heating but rather space cooling and heating. That's why you see characters in animes during the summertime with lots of fans running or in the wintertime they are desperate for a warm blanket. So the hallways in the entrance area are either really hot or really cold and are blocked off with an interior door because the main living area has the unit for cooling or heating that space. So when you enter a typical Japanese house you will take off your shoes in the hot or cold Genkan then enter through the doorway that leads to the much more comfortable main living area of the house...i.e. living room etc.

Traditionally rooms are measured by how many Tatami mats there are. Tatami mats are used to measure the square footage. To save you from looking it up yourself, a 10 tatami mat room is about the size of a living room...a small living room/bedroom...but in all honesty if you are curious and would like to have a better visual than I suggest another google search on Tatami mats.

Blue Point Isle is an anime location that's located in the Whirlpool Islands. Awaji Island is a real location in Japan and is what the Whirlpool Islands are based on.

Cinnabar Island and Olivine City

I said this before but I think its best to repeat myself here. I am going by the game maps. They are an easy reference and easy to find. I know the anime treats the locations differently and I did find a few anime maps not too long ago but I felt that the game maps were easier to follow. The way I see it the anime in a way fanficed their own material when it came to locations. They just place new locations wherever they saw fit to make a longer running show and thats how I'm basically treating the regions as well. So when it comes to Cinnabar Island having a ferry to Olivine City, this is not at all farfetched. This fanfic is based off of the anime and an anime is not limited to game mechanics. The world of Pokemon is a functioning world with many regions and cities. In a functioning world you are not limited to only one way. So to me in an anime world of Pokemon reaching Olivine City...a port city by ferry from Cinnabar Island is highly plausible.

Icy rocks and never melt ice are items that you find in the games.

Seiji means Celadon in Japanese and Ku means ward, district in Japanese

Xtransceiver is also found in the games...this was the hardest thing for me when it came to researching. Again I stopped watching the show during the advanced generation so I'm always researching to see what happened and what I can get away with in a fanfic so that way it doesn't sound to fanficy which I'm pretty sure the ship has sailed on that one but I digress. I still play the games because let's face it the games are still awesome despite the repetitive aspects. So I knew there was a form of communication like cellphones but were called G-tech or whatever. So my mission was trying to find any evidence if the show ever showed the use of cellphones because again I stopped watching the show and what I remembered was there was no cellphone like device only phones that were like Skype before Skype existed (mind you Pokemon came out in the late 90s) and the map thing that Max used didn't have a cellphone in it...I think I don't really remember. So I looked up on the many glorious sites of Pokemon info that I'm sure everyone knows about and I finally came across the Xtransceiver and saw pictures of it in the anime. This devise went through a lot a changes during editing. At first it was Pokegear or something like that because there are functions in these devises that contain cellphones. Again knowing that the game and anime worlds function differently, my general understanding is the Xtransceiver is a separate entity in the anime and therefore I finally settled on just calling it the Xtransceiver instead of one of the many Pokegadgets they have in the games. If I'm wrong...sorry

I feel like I'm able to capture the spirt of Ash at times in this story while other times he teeters off into OOC waters. So hopefully his OOCness isn't too bad and the story is good enough to keep you interested.

Timing

I reread and edited this chapter as much as possible and I know I'm not the best writer so hopefully the timing of when things happen are not hard to follow. This is mostly a two sided story and like most two sided stories the events are usually happening simultaneously. I don't like putting up any dates or days in this because I feel like that ruins the story's flow...honestly I don't like writing "Flashbacks" but when its a long scene I'm kind of okay with it but I still feel like writing the word "Flashback" screws with the overall flow. I made a note about this before but in this chapter it might be harder to follow. This chapter is very much like the _"Prepare for Flare"_ chapter from the first story, it wouldn't have worked if it was separated...in my opinion, splitting it up felt out of place for this particular chapter. So I want to clarify that the two stories are happening relatively at the same time. They are on the same timeline with maybe a day or hour difference. So what you read first happened first. For example Ash goes on a boat ride, about an hour or so later on the Team Rocket side they are drinking coffee. I write in how many days past in the story but I sometimes feel that it might not be clear enough for readers. Hopefully its easy to follow but I will understand if its not and I will fix it at one point...probably years later...my clean up record for the first story on wattapad is not very good.

Major Fanfic alert:

Warning! Warning! We finally have reached the shores of super fanfic territory...abort now if you want to live. There is no turning back so get ready for one crazy fanfic ride!

Chapter 11: Illusions

* * *

Ash was waiting for the ferry to arrive to take him home. He looked at his newly required badge from Blaine, the Gym leader of the Cinnabar Island Gym. Blaine was surprisingly a lot tougher since the last time they battled. It was tough but Ash is proud to say he and his Pokémon earned this badge.

"Let's go see Misty and Brock." He suggested to his pal Pikachu.

"Pikachu."

"Hello Ash." A familiar voice greeted from behind. Ash turned to see that the masculine voice belonged to Hitoshi who was standing tall behind the bench Ash was sitting on. Hitoshi walked around to join Ash on the bench. He was wearing his usual attire that consisted of a black trench coat that was open revealing his black shirt underneath along with dark blue jeans. His short black hair was clean cut while thick locks of hair covered his forehead.

"How are you?"

"I'm great! I just won my first badge." Ash proudly showed his badge that was in the shape of a volcano with odd shaped holes located on the base and crater of the volcano design.

"I see you're using your free time wisely. That's good." Hitoshi spoke calmly.

"Yes, and now I'm going to see my friends Misty and Brock." Hitoshi's warm smile faded.

"Ash, this tournament is different from the others. You have to challenge the Kanto gyms as well as the gyms in Johto." He reminded him as his voice was firm but retained the warmth of a concerned friend.

"I know that but I,"

"Look at the badge. It's a puzzle piece. Defeating the gyms is only part of the challenge. In order to earn your place in the tournament you must also solve the puzzle that these badges create." Ash took another look at his badge that was in the shape of a puzzle piece.

"It's to weed out the weak." Hitoshi explained in a distinguished manner. "The competitors in this tournament will be strong as well as intelligent. You will be facing some of the regions top ace trainers with all sorts of unique strategies that only seasoned trainers could have."

"I Can't Wait!" "Pika, Pika!" Ash exclaimed. The sound of competition against strong rivals always had his blood boiling with excitement. Hitoshi smiled due to his eagerness.

"Ash, do you understand type match ups?" He questioned earning himself a puzzled expression. "I mean when it comes to a Pokémon's type advantages and disadvantages."

"Oh yeah I know all about that stuff." Ash said confidently.

"Like Pikachu here is an electric type and it's strong against water types." "Pikachu!" Ash said proudly as he petted his pal happily.

"Since you now have the fire badge tell me, what do you know about a fire type's strengths and weaknesses?"

"Uh…its weak against water…and…it's strong against steel."

"Fire is strong against steel, let's go to Olivine City." Hitoshi stated firmly as he stood up. "It would be best to use the free time that you have in the Johto region."

* * *

Due to his change of plans, Ash called to inform his Mom that he wasn't coming home. She was very understanding and wished him luck on his adventure. After he hung up, Ash rejoined Hitoshi to board the ferry that would take them from Cinnabar Island to Olivine City. They sat on one of the many benches that were on the ferry's deck as they watched the horizon before them.

"I hope I didn't sound too harsh earlier." Hitoshi said softly.

"Not at all. I never really had to think about managing my time before. Doing some of the gyms in Johto makes sense."

"Are you at least enjoying your time?"

"Of course I am! At first I thought battling gym leaders a second time wasn't going to be exciting, but after that rematch with Blaine I want to face them all again as soon as possible. To top it all off there's an ultimate tournament against the very best…HMMMMM…YAY! I Can't Wait!" "Pika! Pika!" Ash exclaimed as his overly excited mannerisms earned him some attention from the bystanders.

"Ha, Ha!" Hitoshi laughed due to his friend's youthful energy.

"I see, with that kind of attitude I'm sure you'll do great." Ash's smile brightened to such kind praises. "What about the Rocket training school? Is it stressful?"

"It's not so bad. I'm starting to get used to it."

"I'm glad you can handle such a bothersome crowd. I'm also glad that you agreed to help us."

"Well of course I would want to help." Ash said encouragingly as Hitoshi smirked.

"Having youthful eyes added into the mix was my idea so I'm very happy with your progress. I believe that your help will be of great service to us in the long run." Ash couldn't help but smile widely. Being apart of something that could change everything for the better was empowering. The word _'_ _victory'_ had a new meaning. Not only will he win the tournament and be crowned champion but he will also be victorious against the evils of Team Rocket.

"Team Rocket has caused me nothing but problems." Ash stated. "It would be nice to see it all end. I don't ever want to see a Pokémon treated that way again."

"I feel the same way, that's why I fight. It's what keeps me going even during the really bad days. Being an agent for such despicable people leaves me feeling repulsed but I always keep reminding myself of the everlasting salvation that's at the end of this treachery. When I see all those Pokémon I tell myself to hang in there. Turning away from those who are defenseless is out of the question. I believe in the foundation's cause with all my heart but sometimes I feel that our plan will not work. Do you have doubts Ash?" Ash was taken of guard by such a question as he stuttered at first.

"Uh…well…Yeah I guess, I mean of course I have doubts but that's not going to stop me from doing my best. I want to become a Pokémon master and I have no doubts about that! I will become a Pokémon master." Ash declared.

"Hmm, I enjoy your boundless enthusiasm." Hitoshi said lightheartedly as he turned to the ocean horizon.

"I want to save them…I want to save them all." He said forlornly.

"Hitoshi, I will help in any way I can. I promise, I want to save them all too." Ash reassured him.

"I'm glad to hear that Ash." Hitoshi said with a warm smile as his emerald eyes glistened in the sunlight.

* * *

Looking back to that dark day, Meowth recalled that the fire two days ago destroyed everything. Since a battlefield is made out of mostly dirt it was the only thing left intact. As for everything else like Silver's apartment and all the training rooms, they were all gone. The number one priority for everyone was clearing the damage so that the battlefield was accessible for trainers who wish to challenge the gym leader. It was declared an accident by the likes of Officer Jenny and everyone in Team Rocket but that didn't ease Silver's bitter heart. Meowth remembered Silver's horror when they returned. Something that was precious to him was gone as he watched the remaining flames die out. Rage danced within his cold red eyes while Meowth could have sworn there were hints of grief over such a loss. At some point while Meowth observed the distressed gym leader, Silver turned to glare at it. He was filled with despair but his anger was loud and clear in those burning red eyes of his.

However Meowth's attention on Silver didn't last long for his main focus was on Jessie and James. Finally, after all this time from getting chased by Team Blade and getting a direct hit of stun pore…he was finally safe in the arms of his friends. They all cried and rejoiced at their bittersweet reunion. Meowth breathed in their comforting scents, never wanting to forget what their warmth felt like. Finally they were together as Meowth felt their embrace tighten around him. They didn't want to let go. Meowth didn't want them to let go. Eventually Meowth was overcome by his exhaustion as he fell asleep safe and sound in the arms of his beloved teammates.

* * *

It was just the trio again. It seems that Ryuu has been called away while Meowth was out. He probably has a lot of meetings with the boss and other highly important members of Team Rocket. Who cares! It was perfect with him gone and Meowth wanted to savor every moment with them. When Ryuu just joined their team he would never leave them alone. Ryuu would always be around talking about how they should always spend as much of their time together. Whenever he got the chance he would compliment them. Sometimes it was about themselves while other times he would compliment their _'_ _wonderful small home.'_ Meowth couldn't help but feel he was full of it seeing that he lives in a much nicer, much bigger home.

The higher ranks like Ryuu were the lucky ones when it came to getting the royal treatment in Team Rocket. Also having really good relations with the boss didn't hurt either. He lived in the really nice areas filled with urban townhouses and large houses with big backyards. He would sometimes suggest that maybe when the time is right they could all move in with him. Jessie and James would giggle with glee at the idea. They've always wanted to move out of this apartment building that was more like a barracks for active agents and grunts with no social life. Meowth on the other hand grew an appreciation for their apartment. Its not some grand palace but it was theirs. The building itself isn't up to date but it has character. Their apartment is a simple two-bedroom layout on the top floor. They have a living room that also serves as a dining room. The 10 tatami mat space isn't luxurious in anyway, it had the low table and some sitting around it along with a TV in the room and that was basically it. Then there was the small kitchen, two small bedrooms and a balcony. Although honestly speaking, Meowth would like to move out of this dump one day too.

Meowth couldn't deny that the man that's changing everything does have a decent record. How could it be ignored? Jessie and James would always go on and on about him. When Ryuu just joined their team, Meowth's curiosity drove it to look up Ryuu's past missions through the use of the Team Rocket archives that are housed in the large library at Headquarters. From the time Madame Boss was in power to every agent and their missions, the library is the ultimate source for anything and everything in Team Rocket. Meowth found out that Ryuu originally came from some small town in the Hoenn Region and has moved a lot due to his family of outsiders. He joined the academy a few years back and his scores were impressive. With such high scores he was capable of anything. Records showed that he was interested in becoming a scientist but changed his mind and became a field agent instead. Meowth concluded that it must have been Drill Sargent Viper who persuaded him to change tracks since Team Rocket is always in search for good field agents. In record time Ryuu reached level 6, the highest level that an elite could achieve. His records of accomplishments were no joke. He's a human that anyone should be scared of if they were to cross him on enemy lines. No wonder the boss likes him. But who cares about that guy anyways! It's just the three of them as it should be so Meowth took the opportunity to tell them everything.

They gathered around their living room/dining room table with mugs of coffee that his human friends were so fond of along with their laptop to the side. He told them the truth on why he came to see them. That Yumiko sent him out to go to Cinnabar Island and he wanted to ask them to come along.

"Cinnabar Island? Why didn't you just say so?" Jessie asked.

"Because you two were gushing all over him and Ryuu wouldn't have approved of something like that. He probably would have told the boss on me in a heartbeat." Meowth pointed out as the two grew silent. It seemed like they understood that aspect. He then told them how he stumbled into the gym by accident and ran into Silver in the process.

"He did?" James questioned astoundingly.

"Seriously?" Jessie added.

"Yeah and he was even willing to keep it a secret from the boss."

"We hit the jackpot!" They both exclaimed.

"First Ryuu and now the boss's own kid." James hollered with joy.

"Don't forget that we finally beat the twerp too!" Jessie added to the excitement.

"Oh yeah the twerp," Meowth remembered. "He has,"

"It can't get any better than this! We are sure to get that big promotion!" James shouted.

"Gonna be elites! Gonna be elites!" They both chanted. "Gonna be elites! Gonna be elites!"

"But the twerp has Pikachu!" Meowth interrupted.

"What?" That got their attention.

"The twerp was there on Cinnabar Island and Pikachu was with him…Oh and Team Blade attacked me."

"Team Blade? Wait a minute you mentioned something like that before." James alleged.

"Yes, Yes! You See? I wasn't making it up. It really happened." Meowth confirmed excitedly.

"You're losing me." Jessie stated.

"So you're saying that you went with Silver to Cinnabar Island, right?" Meowth nodded to Jessie's inquiry.

"And on Cinnabar Island you were attacked by Team Blade and the twerp was there with Pikachu?" She questioned as she was trying to understand the whole situation.

"Yes, Yes!"

"So if we were to ask Silver he would say the same thing?" She asked.

"Yes, ye…well I don't know if he would because he wasn't really there for the whole thing. But I did throw Pi…" Meowth paused as he remembered what he did to the boss's son.

"You're losing me again. Are you sure it happened?"

"Yes I'm sure." Meowth pulled out the old book.

"Look at this!" He exclaimed as he showed them his latest discovery.

"Yumiko was given a key and sent me out to get this. I was attacked by Team Blade when I was searching for it with the twerp and his Pikachu." Jessie reached for it as both she and James looked at it intriguingly.

"Ji," She read the initials that were etched onto the old cover.

"Huh…it looks like a journal." James said as they both were skimming through it.

 *****Ding-Ring*****

Sounds from their computer rang.

"Oh look Ryuu sent us an email." James said as he looked at their laptop.

" _Dear teammates."_ They both giggled with glee as James continued to read.

" _I wish I could be there with you right now. Please tell Meowth that I'm so glad to hear it's safe. I was so worried that the worst may have happened. When I get back I want all of us to celebrate together. During the past few days I had some time to take some photos of your most recent triumph. Ever since Meowth brought it up, it's been on my mind. I felt that it shouldn't feel like it didn't accomplish anything. Please take these photos to show them to Meowth. I hope they will help Meowth to feel proud of itself. Team Rocket is stronger when you three are confident in your own abilities. Now it shall be the four of us. Let's enter into this new phase together as the strongest team in all of Team Rocket!"_

Their wide smiles were hard to miss as James read the last line of the email. He then clicked on the file to take a look at the pictures. Meowth went over to James' side to see the pictures as well and saw a sad Pikachu along with a few of the twerp's other Pokémon in cages. Then there were pictures of the Pokémon, including Pikachu being called back into their poke balls. Meowth remembered that Pikachu's poke ball had a lighting bolt on it because Meowth was very eager to have the honor of calling Pikachu back to its poke ball. It was great winning against them but calling his arch nemesis back into its poke ball was ten times better. The poke ball calling back the sad Pikachu in the picture had the same lighting bolt. Meowth tried to look for something that was off but couldn't find anything. It's not easy to find the difference of a Pokémon just by their pictures. The Pikachu looks like a Pikachu, it could very well be the twerp's Pikachu. The pictures were also stamped with the date and time, unfortunately the time indicated that these pictures were taken when Meowth was on Cinnabar Island.

 _"These got to be fake…but time stamps don't lie."_ Meowth thought, it couldn't have imagined the whole thing…could it?

"It was Ryuu's plan after all. The twerp was annoyingly good but he's no match for Ryuu. Maybe you just dreamt that part about the twerp and his Pikachu being there. I mean I get it. It's hard to believe that after all this time we finally defeated him." Jessie said reassuringly.

"Yeah it's like Jessie said, Ryuu's a genesis and Pikachu and all the twerp's Pokémon are down in the stock rooms in Celadon City. Only top Rocket personal have access there. The twerp has no chance of getting his Pokémon back." James added confidently as he continued, "You have been on Ryuu's mind a lot lately. He would always ask us how he could reach out to you. Since you were spending time with Yumiko he's been waiting for a second chance."

"Hmm…" Jessie sighed lovingly.

"Nothing's more attractive than a strong man with a big soft spot." She giggled lightheartedly.

"What about Team Blade?" Meowth asked not really liking where this conversation was going.

"Remember what Ryuu said?" James asked. "Dreams are usually apparitions that come from our subconscious. We definitely have a history of many failures so having a few great successes might be hard for you to believe. Maybe Team Blade is something that represents your fears. Think about it, they seem to always come in when everything is good to take it all away. It's like their objective is to cut away your success."

Meowth took a deep breath before exhaling. It hated how this was turning out but sighed in defeat as it mumbled, "Maybe I was just imagining things."

They are just to enamored by Ryuu. It was as if nothing would convince them. Besides its not like he wants to keep thinking about Team Blade and all of his mishaps. Life was better when he didn't overthink about such things.

 _"It was all just a dream."_ Such words made life easier. Pretending it never happened is a good thing.

* * *

Meowth retold his story on how he retrieved the old journal. He explained that he traveled alongside Silver. Details about the twerp and Team Blade were left out treated as the fantasy that his friends have deemed them to be…it's for the best.

 _"Dreams are not real. Everything is fine now."_ Meowth thought as it looked to its friends' cheery faces.

 _"It was a dream. We are together now…this is real."_ It went on to explain its wonderful adventure to Cinnabar Island. It was amazing and uneventful and the boss's own son came along for the trip. Cinnabar Island was smoothing sailing.

"He did?" James questioned astoundingly.

"Seriously?" Jessie added.

"Mostly." Meowth nodded as he stretched the truth about Silver for them. They were ecstatic to hear such great news.

"We hit the jackpot!" They exclaimed.

"So that's why no one could find either of you. It would explain your absence when we were all…searching…for you." James had trouble finishing his last sentence.

"We were so worried. We were searching everywhere. There was no sign of you we thought that maybe," Jessie tried to express their concerns but got teary eyed herself as both of them couldn't contain their despair over such a dreadful experience. They were really worried.

 _"Kind of like me when I was in Kalos."_ Meowth thought. Even though he would really like to forget about it the world around him was making it quite difficult. _"It was just a dream."_

"How would we ever go on without you?" Jessie said tearfully. "We are not the trio without you. We have always been together so don't worry us like that again, okay?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean too." Meowth was truly touched as he grew tearful himself.

"I like being just the three of us. I wanted you two to come with me, honestly. But your new friend got in the way." Meowth whined sorrowfully.

"You still don't like him?" Jessie questioned sadly.

"I guess it can't be helped." James said softly as he looked to Jessie as they both eyed each other sadly. There was a moment of silence between them as James spoke up again.

"He's really kind and gives us helpful advice on becoming better agents." He treaded softly before looking plea fully to Meowth, "Do you think you could try to accept him…for us?"

They both looked so sad and yet so hopeful at the same time. They were so worried about him just like he was so worried about them. He missed them so much. After finding them he didn't want to leave their side ever again, but after some time passed and with the New Year festivities around the corner everything has started to change. After a quick celebration of their success of stealing Pikachu he somehow ended up spending time with Yumiko…he didn't want that. He wanted to hang out with them. He wanted to continue celebrating with them.

"I'll do my best." Meowth replied as they both lit up with big grins and cheered for the happy return of their littlest member of the trio.

"Just think if Silver likes you and with Ryuu on our team," Jessie started to say.

"Our life as lowly paupers will be over!" James finished his partner's sentence happily.

"Gonna be elites! Gonna be elites!" Meowth watched them cheer excitedly but wasn't too sure about all this. It's not like Silver is someone they could depend on.

"Gonna be elites, Gonna be elites." They continued to chant.

"Uh…well about Silver." Meowth tried to cut in on their little parade.

"Don't mess it up! The boss was forgiving when it came to Ryuu but if you do something like that to his son…your career in Team Rocket will be over." Jessie scolded. Meowth refrained from speaking what was on his mind.

 _"Oh, oh…back at the burning gym, that look he gave me…should I be worried?"_

* * *

It was the next day as Jessie came back from Headquarters and stated happily, "We were given the okay."

"The okay for what?" Meowth asked.

"I asked Dr. Zager if it would be okay for us to take a mini break. After that scare I thought we should have a little vacation." She said.

"Really!?" Meowth was beyond delighted.

"Let's go to our special place." James suggested.

Everything was back! It was the good old trio at last. As it turns out Ryuu is on some special mission right now and won't be back for a while. Meowth could care less what Ryuu was up to and was overjoyed to hear that it was going to be just them. It was total bliss even they sounded like they didn't trust him either when it came to a little rule breaking. Going into a no-fly zone for Rocketeers would definitely be a no go for someone like Ryuu of all people. A little vacation that no one knows about sounded perfect.

"What the boss doesn't know won't hurt him." Meowth said happily but then a sudden flash of Yumiko appeared in his mind as it reoccurred to him that she said something similar to him before he left for Cinnabar Island.

 _"Oh, yeah…the journal."_ Meowth thought. _"She wanted me to come back right away."_

"Meowth bring that journal with you. I want to look it over. It seemed like it had some really cool stuff in it." Jessie suggested.

"Okay!" Meowth hollered.

* * *

During their travels through the Whirlpool Islands, the Team Rocket Trio came across an uninhabited island oasis. It was extremely lucky too, they were staying at one of the resorts on Awaji Island before they returned to their search of a certain twerp and his Pikachu. They found paradise, the island itself was small and crescent shaped, which provided a natural cove. A little ways into the thin tropical forest were natural hot springs. They almost felt ripped off after spending money at an expensive resort but they didn't let such bad feelings win the day. Paradise wasn't too far away from popular resorts like Awaji Island and Blue Point Isle. The routes that ferries take from Cianwood City to Olivine City were also near by as well, such facts left the trio in disarray. The idea of someone else discovering this place was definitely a possibility.

Luckily, they have Team Rocket technology on their side. The handy dandy tool for any agent on the go and in need for a quick secret hideout is the _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ While nothing can beat the high tech barriers that protect Team Rocket residential areas, this tool is close to being the next best thing. This little robot did the trick for any agent in search for a quick fix. The robot is about the size of a beach ball. To have it work properly they had to look for the spot that could be considered the center of the island then presto. They press a button then…BOOM! A state of the art cloaking device is in service, protecting the island from any unwanted attention. Now anyone who passes by will only see a vast ocean.

As it just so happens, the _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ is one of the most expensive gadgets out there. They've been saving up their money to buy the ultimate weapon that's been _'_ _executive approved'_ meaning that it's resistant to any type of damage. It was the ultimate robot that could easily defeat the twerp. There was no way that the twerp could stand a chance against the ultimate robot that covered everything when it came to Pokémon attacks. Pikachu was only a credit card swipe away. They finally had enough money to get the weapon they've been longing for but they also had enough for an _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ Either they buy the ultimate weapon that would lead them to victory or a tool that would help protect their newly found paradise. It didn't take long for all of them to agree that a free private island was a once in a lifetime experience. So they bought the _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ agreeing that they will work hard to save up enough money again for the ultimate weapon.

Their paradise island was just the way they left it. They reached the cove's soft sandy beach and found the camping ground that they had set up before. They made sure to have camp situated in the perfect spot. It was on the beach and near the path that would lead them directly to the hot springs. They came to the island in their trusty Magikarp submarine that was undoubtedly small but it did contain enough storage space for their tools and weapons. However compared to what agents like Ryuu get to use, their little Magikarp submarine isn't even worthy to be considered scrap metal. Ryuu is in the elite class, meaning he gets paid more and therefore is able to equip himself with tools and weapons of better quality. Rumor has it that elites like him don't even have to spend their own money and that the boss gets it all for them for free.

The trip to paradise felt unnecessarily longer due to their constant praising of Ryuu. They're in total dreamland thinking that Ryuu's status will turn them into elites this year. Soon they won't need to do the hard peddling anymore. Soon they could get their hands on all the really cool stuff like those amphibious vehicles that turn from truck to boat to submarine…the dream cruiser for any agent in Team Rocket. While Meowth disliked their overly infatuation of Ryuu, he had to admit that peddling the submarine was a big pain. It wasn't luxurious in any way, if they wanted to store food they had to install a mini fridge themselves when in fact the bigger Team Rocket submarines have fully equipped kitchens. After all that they have done for Team Rocket such as going to other regions and following other organizations to steal data, Jessie and James are still low on the Rocket totem poll. Apparently due to Ryuu's status in Team Rocket and the fact that he was placed on their team has made Jessie and James speculate that they will be promoted to elite operatives in training.

At first Meowth thought they were being ridiculous but it could very well be the case. Even the rumor mill within Team Rocket has whispered such tales a few times. That would be great if it were to happen. Ryuu being on their team really isn't a bad thing. Jessie and James would be getting trained by one of the best agents in all of Team Rocket. They would be able to live in a bigger house, be able to buy anything they want without having to sacrifice one over the other. They would have better equipment and a submarine with its own fridge! Thinking about all the positives, Meowth realized that Ryuu being on their team is a good thing. If Ryuu's presence on their team is making them this happy and if it truly means that Jessie and James can get the recognition and respect that they deserve, then accepting him would be for the best. It's not like he will be with them forever. It is only temporary…eventually they will have to go their separate ways.

"Gonna be elites, Gonna be elites." However listening to that new chant of theirs has started to get on Meowth's nerves.

* * *

They sat on the beach enjoying the nice warm sun and watched the calming waves all the while drinking their favorite drinks and eating their favorite snacks. It's just the three of them and of course their other Pokémon like Wobbuffet but it was just them…no one else.

 _"It's paradise."_

"Now let's see that journal." Jessie insisted. Meowth got it out and they all circled around her to hear what the journal had to say. Jessie skimmed through a few pages while James and Meowth looked over her shoulders. Some of it was hard to read due to the age but it was clear that these were notes from someone who worked for Team Rocket. Jessie found a long passage and started to read it.

" _I was sitting alone at the bar. I met this woman named Hiromi on a whim. Such an extraordinary woman. We talked all night as she revealed to me her underground operation called Team Rocket. It all sounded fascinating and Hiromi's passion to want to build from basically nothing was intriguing to me. I've learned from this passionate woman that they have been carrying out weak crimes for years. I think it's safe to say that these are the people who are behind the recent commotion at the power plant. Team Rocket is what they call themselves, not even the news mentioned that name. I wonder if any of the police officers know about this. She told me that Team Rocket lacks financial support. That their thievery of meaningless things doesn't make any profit. She then pointed to some young man carrying a small blue Pokémon, I think it's called a Dratini. She was disgusted by its existence. I never thought I would meet a person who would feel that way about them. She explained to me that love is profitable. I had to clarify if she was seriously indicating the idea that stealing Pokémon could make a good profit. It's simply unheard of but I stayed to talk some more with this intriguingly, passionate woman."_ The passage ended there. They looked through the next pages that had notes about making strong barriers that would protect districts such as the one in Viridian City.

"Oh…so creating the districts were all Hiromi's, I mean Madame Boss's idea. So this guy must have been one of the architects." James stated.

"Huh…it says here that they wanted to build a district on Cinnabar Island. That would have been nice." Jessie pointed out as she daydreamed about the possibilities.

"But most Rockets live in Viridian City." Meowth stated.

"That's mostly due to the gym and the fact that Team Rocket used to have a mini headquarters near by. Remember? It blew up." Jessie said.

"They never got around rebuilding that place." James recalled. "Well the real Headquarters is better anyways. I heard that most of the stuff in Goldenrod City is still new."

"Oh…don't forget Mahogany Town. I always liked that place." Jessie said.

"Really?" James questioned the peculiar fact from his longtime partner in crime.

"I like where our home is now." Meowth chimed in.

"We know." The two said begrudgingly. They looked through some of the old pages and came to the conclusion that most of this journal was about building the first Rocket district in Celadon City.

" _Barrier 251 was proving to be defective. We are running out of ideas. I wonder if we are missing something. There's got to be something that can make it work."_ The passage ended there. They flipped a few more pages to read the continuation.

" _Team Rocket has astounded me once again. Some of my colleagues introduced me to Satoru. They felt that he could help with our current dilemma. Coming into Team Rocket I knew nothing other than that Satoru is highly respected by mostly everyone. The only people I ever heard negative feelings for Satoru is from Hiromi and her closest colleagues. I wasn't too sure if this was a good idea. I did decline the offer to meet with him, I didn't want to upset Hiromi by going behind her back. But as it turned out my colleagues already invited Satoru to the lab and he was waiting outside to speak with me. I was angry with them for going against my authority but they insisted that everything would be all right. I'm glad I listened to them. I told him of the plans on how Hiromi wishes to build protected civilizations that are closer to Kanto's most populated cities. He was intrigued and wanted to learn more. He asked me all sorts of questions about myself and how I came into this line of work. He asked me questions about why I have been so dedicated in creating something for people like them. It was really easy to talk to him, I can see why so many people respect him. He is very understanding and being in his company is surly a blessing. After hearing my tales he told me he wished to take me to his homeland. I still can't believe it. My hands are still trembling due to such a discovery. As I write to you, I am still here. I never heard of this region. The land that I walked on does not appear on any maps. An uncharted region…Team Rocket knows no bounds. Satoru told me that he will show me the solution to Project Seiji Ku tomorrow. The discoveries seem endless here. I don't know how I'll ever be able to sleep tonight."_ The passage ended there followed by blueprints with multiple mini notes and equations.

"Wow…!" They all said in awe.

"Could you imagine what would have happened if someone else discovered this?" James asked astonishingly as Jessie skimmed through the pages some more.

"The age of this journal makes it hard to read but you can definitely tell that this is all about the Pangoya Region." Jessie said as she looked through it until her eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Ah! Right here!"

She pointed for her teammates to see the words, _"Pangoya Region,"_ written in the pages.

"And look there's even drawn pictures of the valleys."

"They call them the _'Rings of Fire,'_ if I remember correctly." James stated.

"Unbelievable." They all said in disbelief.

"Yumiko sent you out to get this? Did she know?" Jessie asked.

"I don't think so. The guy just handed her a key to the safe and that was it."

"You think we should destroy it?" James asked.

"No Way!" Jessie and Meowth shouted.

"This is Team Rocket history." Jessie said.

"Yeah but what if it fell into the wrong hands? You know…like what if someone from Team Galactic got their hands on this…that would be catastrophic." James pointed out.

"Yeah but we have it and no one knows about this island." Jessie said as James took the book from her and pointed out some of the fine details.

"But Jessie this has all the information on what's been protecting Team Rocket all this time. If someone found this information they could use it against us. Just look at the diagrams." He pointed to the pictures that had all sorts of equations and notes by them explaining how this architect built the perfect shield that's still in use today.

"There's nothing to worry about, James. Meowth is taking it to Yumiko when we get back." Jessie clarified.

"I know, we can all go give it to her together." Meowth smiled widely at the idea. Such blissful happiness filled its heart as it felt the warmth of the sun against its glowing white fur.

"Now its Hot Spring Time!" Jessie proclaimed as she got up and ran off with a head start. James went after her as Meowth smiled while placing the old journal away. He then turned around to join them.

 _"I'm in Paradise!"_

* * *

Such a peaceful night under the stars as they all sat around a campfire. It was total bliss to have everything exactly the way they're supposed to be. Eventually they all grew tired and called it a night. The night sky was crystal clear as Meowth laid on the soft sandy beach looking up at the twinkling stars that were joined by a half moon. Soon it too succumbed to its need to rest as the feeling of the soft sand against its fur disappeared.

* * *

 _Meowth felt like it was resting on a bed of water as he visualized tiny droplets falling repeatedly, creating ripples that expanded away from his body._

 _"Its like the water is rippling away from my body." He thought, it felt so tranquil not to mention he grew accustom to this odd yet comforting sensation. A strange sound started to make way. It sounded familiar, Meowth slowly opened its eyes to see it was on a rocky trail. It stood up on its bed of calming rippling water and began to walk away._

 _"What is that sound?" It sounded like music echoing within the mountains. Meowth walked along the path that seemed so familiar, the path started to move upwards leading Meowth to a large mesa that was very high up with a view of the mountain range stretching out for miles in all directions. It was a breathtaking view all the while the sounds of the eerily peaceful music continued, unfortunately the source of this music was nowhere to be found._

 _"I've heard this music…wasn't someone here before?" Meowth looked around some more…it was just him all alone with only the sounds of the eerily music playing. Meowth bent down to touch the dirt, it wanted to get a better feel as it felt the soft dirt mixed with rough pebbles and limestone. It felt so real…it smells real, Meowth smelled the air and felt the wind blowing…it all seems real. Meowth laid down on its back looking up at the blue sky above. As the music continued on with its haunting notes the sound of ripples expanding away from its body returned. The sound of tiny droplets falling repeatedly to create this tranquil feeling returned. Meowth really didn't know what to make of it as he started to close his eyes._

* * *

Ash's smile was ear to ear as he walked away with his second badge in hand.

"I must say I was quite impressed, Ash." Hitoshi complimented who watched the entire spectacle.

"Thank you!" Ash exclaimed as he looked at the badge that was in the shape of a metal gear which also looked like another puzzle piece.

"Ash let's head towards Mahogany Town." Hitoshi suggested.

"Why? It would make more sense to go to Cianwood City."

"I see you haven't heard."

"Heard what?" Ash asked as they stumbled upon a few stores with TVs in the windows and they were all showing the same thing. Video footage of a fire that broke out and burned down the Viridian City gym.

"No way!"

"So the news finally made its way to Johto." Ash was shocked as he turned to Hitoshi.

"You knew about this?"

"Of course I knew. Viridian City Gym is under Team Rocket's leadership."

"Yes I know that and I also know that Silver is Giovanni's son."

"It really is a pity. It appears luck was on Silver's side. He was away when it happened. Luckily no one was hurt during that accident. Some of the gym leaders have volunteered to help out with the damage and as of right now the Cianwood City's Gym Leader will be out but as for Ecruteak City, Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City they should all be available by the time we get there." Ash listened as he continued watching the news and saw that it was indicating the time when the fire broke out.

"It happened when we were on Cinnabar Island." Ash said out loud. "I ran into him there along with Meowth."

"Silver doesn't have a Meowth."

"It's the Meowth I told you about from before."

"The talking Meowth?"

"Yeah, Meowth was with him. Strange huh? I've been hearing rumors how that there's this new member on its team and that,"

"Ash," Hitoshi interrupted.

"I've been undercover for years I know everything that happens within the walls of Team Rocket." He said sharply.

"I need you to be careful Ash." He spoke calmly. "I was able to keep you safe for the time being but I won't always be able to protect you. I need you to remember that this isn't some game. You are here because we need your help to take down one of the largest enemies of the Pokémon world."

"You don't have to worry." Ash said enthusiastically.

"It doesn't know that I'm still in the training school. I know this is serious work and I promise that I will work hard to help. You see I was on my way to the gym when it walked right past me. It just kept walking and right into the middle of the street. I had no idea what was going through its mind but I couldn't just let it get hurt so I jumped in and got it out of the way." Ash grew silent as he thought back to that day. He then remembered that attack from Team Blade and wanted to ask Hitoshi about them.

"So the talking Meowth went to Cinnabar Island." Hitoshi murmured nonchalantly which got Ash sidetracked.

"Pokémon like Meowth aren't supposed to be there, right?"

"They're not but in all fairness that Pokémon has a history that's full of surprises." Hitoshi said as he became distant as if his mind was recalling something.

"The agents its with are not the best either. They're pitiful when it comes to following the rules themselves." Hitoshi pulled out a pair of black sunglasses out of his trench coat's pocket.

"I know it has been missing ever since that whole debacle at Headquarters. Was it on Cinnabar Island all this time?" He asked while putting the glasses on.

"I'm not sure, but I know it was there because of…um…Yu…Yuki." Ash tried hard to remember the person's name but was failing to do so.

"Yumiko," Hitoshi answered for him. "The Mistress of Thieves was behind its actions. Did you happen to find out why she sent it to Cinnabar Island?"

"Yeah, I followed it to an old mansion that has been burned down. It had a key to a safe that contained an old book. I think it might have been a journal."

"A journal?"

"I think so, it had the initials _'Ji'_ on the cover." Hitoshi was quiet as he stared at Ash through his black shades. He seemed displeased.

"How bad is this Yumiko person?" Ash asked the man in black shades that held a stern grimace.

"She's a woman that's very influential which makes her powerful. It's all thanks to her why Giovanni is the strong leader of Team Rocket." He stated. "I want you to call me immediately the next time you hear anything. Whatever she's up to, I must know."

"Alright." Ash agreed calmly.

 _"You were tricking me again, weren't you?"_ He thought viciously as the image of a certain scratch cat resurfaced. His bitter rage grew.

* * *

 *****Flashback*****

"First Badge, here we come!" "Pikachu!" Ash shouted excitedly. They were marching down the sidewalk towards Blaine's gym, pumped and ready for action.

 _"I can't wait!"_

"Pi?" Pikachu's attention was pulled elsewhere.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu got Ash's attention as it pointed him in the direction of a certain scratch cat. It was just walking down the sidewalk and heading straight towards them.

"Meowth?" His anger came in full swing, taking away any joy he once had. That was Team Rocket's specialty, they always ruin good things.

"Grr…just what do you…huh?" It just walked right past them without even acknowledging them. Did it not see them? Well he's going to make it see them! He's going to send it flying along with its buddies. Ash picked up his harsh pace as he was ready to fight. They came to an intersection and everyone was waiting for the light to turn green so they can walk across. Now was his chance to grab it.

" _What?"_ He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It…it didn't stop, _"What are you doing?"_

 *****Beeep*****

The horn from the car beeped loudly as the screeching sounds from the rubber tires echoed loudly. His mind went blank as his body charged forward on its own.

* * *

 *****Fast-Forward*****

"Go on type it in." Meowth insisted.

"I don't know the password." Ash stated.

"He just said it was 'Faraway.'" Meowth clarified.

" _He?"_

 *****Flashback*****

* * *

As memories flooded his mind only a few stuck out.

 _"Who was 'he?'"_ He thought as it reoccurred to him something similar happened before.

 _"You were tricking me, weren't you?"_ Ash thought, as he thought back to the days in Kalos as well as their recent adventure.

His brain couldn't take it anymore as it felt like his mind went into over drive.

 _"I'm so confused!"_ He whined.

"Ash, please go on ahead." Hitoshi broke through his thoughts. Ash looked up at him as Hitoshi continued. "I will catch up with you later, I need to make a quick phone call."

"Okay." Ash agreed softly as he walked away melancholy thinking to himself.

* * *

Hitoshi watched the young trainer walk away before unveiling his Xtransceiver that was covered by his trench coat's sleeve. Soon afterwards a fair skinned man with brown hair and vibrant violet eyes appeared on the small screen.

"Yes sir?" The man greeted calmly. Hitoshi narrowed his gaze.

"I'm calling to inform you that it's no longer there. It appears that a Rocket has slipped past you and took it." Hitoshi stated coldly as he eyed his quiet follower through his dark sunglasses.

"You should be surprised." He stated as his comrade remained quiet and aloof.

"I am surprised." His follower spoke coolly with a straight face.

"A Rocket that acted quietly is surprising." He joked. "I guess that means Cinnabar Island is useless now."

"Am I to believe that you didn't see it? That the twins possibly spotted it and did not inform you?"

"A small weed is strong enough to smother a mountain." The man countered.

"If I had known I would have informed you like I've always had. A Rocket lost in orbit holds no value to me." The follower stated carelessly as Hitoshi eyed him suspiciously.

"Take the twins and go to the Viridian City district. Haru will give you further instructions to continue the search there." He ordered.

"Now go find it!" He demanded harshly before hanging up.

* * *

The fair skinned man with brown hair and vibrant violet eyes placed his Xtransceiver away. He looked to his sleeping Flygon knowing that his superior was growing impatient. He then returned his attention back onto the Xtransceiver.

"Yes, Alaister sir." A young man with short, spiky, dark plum colored hair answered.

"Our search on Cinnabar Island is over. We are to continue the search in the Rocket district located in Viridian City. You and your brother can head out now to meet up with Haru for further instructions."

"What about you?"

"I'll be there shortly."

"Yes sir." The line went dead as the fair skinned man tossed the Xtransceiver to the side carelessly. Sitting at the edge of a cliff, he looked to the horizon of waves and the Cinnabar Island city skyline as he laid against his strong Flygon that was relaxing in the cool breeze.

The man sighed as he too started to relax, "I guess…timing is everything." He said out loud aloofly. He then pulled out his violin and started to play his hauntingly beautiful music.

* * *

" _I'm in Paradise!"_ Meowth thought happily as its dream from last night tried to clog its mind.

 _"No, no, no ,no! A dream is just a dream, its not important. You're on vacation, remember? This is paradise, don't spoil it for yourself with such things."_ Meowth thought as it looked to its friends. _"Everything is the way they're supposed to be."_

"Oh I just remembered we forgot to leave a note for Ryuu." James stated. Meowth tensed up at the sound of the man's name.

 _"Remember, give him a chance. He will turn them into elites. This is paradise…he's not here so don't let him or silly dreams ruin it for you."_

"I highly doubt that he'll be back before us so I think it will be alright." Jessie reassured her partner in crime.

"Your right…He, He…we really hit the jackpot with him!" James exclaimed.

" _Alright I get it! He's great how about changing the subject."_ Meowth thought.

 _"Remember…give him a chance, he's not here…be cool, be cool."_ Meowth told itself as it was slowly growing irritated.

"You know I've been thinking maybe when everything has settled down we should bring him here." Jessie suggested.

" _WHAT!?"_

"Yeah, I've been thinking that too." James concurred.

" _Are they serious? Are they even thinking straight? Is the sun to hot for them? This is our paradise…how could they!?"_ Meowth thought as it unintentionally squeezed the life out of its milk box.

Meowth quickly covered up its growing frustrations by innocently suggesting, "But he might not like going behind the boss's back."

"I'm sure once everything has settled down the boss will lift that little travel ban of his." Jessie said.

"What if he doesn't?"

"I'm sure Ryuu wouldn't mind and since he is close to the boss he could convince the boss that it would be okay. Ryuu understands the need to get away from it all once in awhile. I mean Ryuu is pretty easygoing." Jessie pointed out.

"He's not easygoing!" Meowth quickly snapped as a wave thrashed loudly against one of the many large boulders that made up the cove's edges. "He always gets mad at me whenever I travel on my own. Just because he has a soft voice doesn't mean he isn't strict when it comes to following the rules."

"He's just trying to show you that he cares. Give Ryuu some credit, at least he's been trying to become friends with you." Jessie stated.

"And don't forget the New Year transition is a stressful time for everyone. He's a top elite so he's probably more stressed out than any of us." James added.

"And soon…He…He…He…We'll be elites!" He couldn't hold in his excitement as both he and Jessie started to recite their favorite chant together.

"Gonna be elites! Gonna be elites!" They both chanted over and over again.

"Gonna be elites! Gonna be elites!" Meowth stood up rather quickly…it couldn't take this anymore as it stomped off to be alone.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"I'm going to go check on the bot!" Meowth unintentionally shouted angrily.

* * *

Meowth left the group fuming, stomping its way through the bushes.

 _"Unbelievable!"_ Meowth unintentionally picked up its pace as it started to run not realizing that it was indeed heading for the location of the _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ bot. He didn't care about that, once Meowth realized that he was with the bot he glared at the small contraption. Meowth sighed to release its frustrations, glaring at an inanimate object wasn't going to solve anything. To clear its mind Meowth did start taking a closer look. Meowth sat down next to it and continued to observe it. The small robot is certainly one fine piece of equipment. Set with a passcode and relocating device the _'_ _I Can Bar That!'_ is one of the best robots that they ever bought. Although it was lacking in some areas when compared to what Team Rocket has for the residential areas. The most this little robot could do is have the random boats passing by think they suddenly entered into a thick fog. They had to make sure that there would be no chances of some one else finding their paradise. Then they realized where they were…Whirlpool Islands…whirlpools. Thanks to Rocket technology they placed Rocket made whirlpools all around their island. Fog plus dangerous looking whirlpools would have any person run away.

 _"The Hideout brothers in Mahogany Town do have the best gadgets."_ Meowth complimented but slowly the distraction it was trying to create was proving to be ineffective due to the thoughts of Ryuu possibly coming in to destroy its paradise.

"How could they!? This is our island!" It whined out loud.

 _"Alright so I admit it! His record is amazing and all but that doesn't automatically qualify him to come here. What makes them think that someone like him is going to want to stick around a bunch of idiots forever?"_ Meowth turned around and sliced through a large tropical bush out of frustration.

"THEY'RE IDIOTS!" It screamed, breathing heavily as if its anger took a lot of energy out of it. Meowth then heard someone moving through the bushes.

 _(The Journal.)_ A strange yet familiar voice came out of nowhere. Meowth turned to see that it was the disheveled man looming over it.

"GAHH!" Meowth jumped a little out of fear.

"The Journal." The man repeated.

"How did you get here? We have a barrier up and everything."

"Do you have it with you?" The man asked obviously ignoring Meowth's question.

"Yeah, its back at camp." Meowth answered as the odd tingling sensation was coarsening through its veins.

 _"What's this feeling? I've felt this way before."_ This man…he wasn't doing anything, he didn't even look that freighting. He was just an average height older human but Meowth couldn't help but feel nervous as this odd sensation felt intoxicating. This strange sensation that coursed through its body…it was getting hard to breath. Just by being in this non-threating man's presence Meowth couldn't stop the fear that was clogging its mind.

"Are you frightened of me?" The man looked to the defenseless feline. Meowth didn't move…it couldn't answer. The man reached out and gently touched the koban causing it to light up. Meowth stiffened to his gentle touch. The man himself was calm and composed. Meowth...started to feel the same way.

"Stop." Meowth mumbled. The man obliged and moved away.

 _(I understand now.)_ He said.

 _(My apologies, you're easy to find but now I see that you don't understand at all. You're gifted with many things but lack all knowledge to control them. The journal…you know what's inside?)_ He paused for Meowth to nod.

 _(Keep it safe.)_ He said and he almost sounded urgent. Meowth nodded quickly.

"Meowth!" Meowth turned to see who was calling out to him. As he heard the rustling from the bushes he saw James emerging to come and join him.

"I brought the equipment so we could do a real maintenance check." He said and not at all acknowledging the newcomer on their island. Meowth was confused as it turned to the man that surprised it and saw that he was gone. Just like that the air in its lungs became lighter as the odd sensation that made its body feel like it was tingling all over dissipated.

"What's the matter? You look like you saw a ghost." James said as he closed in on it.

"A Ghost!?" Meowth screamed in horror. Meowth slouched down as it sunk to its knees on the ground _._

 _"Maybe I am just going crazy. Hearing strange voices and seeing things that others don't see is crazy."_ Meowth tried to justify but the thoughts of a young woman with long white blonde hair that seemed whiter than usual popped into his mind. Remembering the pale skin and big ghostly bluish grey eyes as she stared at him somberly. _"Am I crazy?"_

"Are you okay?" James asked the scratch cat that started to seem depressed.

"I'm just tired." Meowth replied with its half-baked truth.

 _"Maybe there is something wrong with me."_ It thought tiredly.

"Let's do a thorough maintenance check. It might be a while till the next time we come back." James then proceeded to work on the bot to which Meowth quickly responded by taking the tools away from him.

"No don't do that!" Meowth said.

"I'll do it." If James did it the bot might break.

"I guess I'll just watch." James responded as he quietly observed Meowth.

* * *

A few hours went by and Meowth was nearly finished. It was a really tiring day to say the least as they both sat in silence.

"Would you like to talk about it?" James started up the conversation. Meowth stopped what it was doing. It knew what James was insinuating about, but seriously must they talk about him again?

"You said you would give him a chance." Meowth was growing frustrated at the rate this conversation was going.

Meowth snapped, "Yeah, so! This is our island."

"It was just an idea."

"Well it's a stupid one!"

"It's not like we were going to do it right away." James said nonchalantly as he sighed due to his friend's stubbornness.

"Maybe you'll feel differently about it one day." James concluded gently. "Care to explain? Cause honestly neither of us understand the hostility you've been showing towards him."

"Do I need a reason? You humans hate each other all the time for no reason." Meowth said annoyingly.

"Personally, I do love being the three of us. I came from a family that has everything but I had nothing. Being in this team, a team that has nothing I have everything. It's because of you." Meowth looked to James as he continued.

"The day you accepted us…the day you opened yourself up to us was the day when we became a true team. There are no secrets between us. When you're ready, come tell us what's really bothering you. Deal?" He grinned warmly as he petted Meowth on top of its head affectionately before leaving it alone with the bot once again. Meowth didn't know what to say to that as he watched one of his teammates leave. It is just the three of them on this island, maybe he should try to tell them. Then again he already told them everything once he found them and they didn't believe him. Why would they when they had the documents from Lysandre Labs in their hands. Every now and then Meowth would try again but it was no use. The boss himself even congratulated them on a job well done. The boss himself even showed it the perfect report when it tried to tell the stern man. Meowth looked to the bot, the maintenance check was complete.

 _"It's just the three of us. This is paradise…I…I want to enjoy it."_

* * *

It took them a few days as they made their way to Ecruteak City. Ready to challenge the gym leader, Ash and Hitoshi were met with unfortunate news that the gym leader was out. As it turned out the gym leader wasn't far away and that they could go meet him. Ash wanted to do so but Hitoshi was against it.

"Ash, you don't have the luxury to waste time on some fool's errand." Hitoshi would then remind Ash.

"You will have another long break that will be coming up shortly. For now let's continue onwards to Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City." Compared to other traveling companions Hitoshi is much more demanding. Time was never a major factor before. Meeting deadlines was definitely new territory for someone like Ash. Thinking about it he never realized how laidback he has been on all of his previous journeys.

 _"I wish it was like that now."_ Ash thought to himself. Meeting deadlines…is a colorless adventure.

It couldn't be helped. If doing it Hitoshi's way means that Team Rocket will be no more than he will bear with the pains of time management.

 _"It will all be worth it in the end."_ Ash told himself, as the idea that one day all those Pokémon that are still in Team Rocket storage will be freed.

Despite the annoying reminders of time being their enemy, Ash enjoys having someone like Hitoshi as his traveling companion. It seemed that Hitoshi had a passion for Pokémon that rivaled Ash's. They found out that both of them fell in love with Pokémon at a very young age. As it turns out Hitoshi also went to a Pokémon summer camp when he was little. On the last day of camp he found an empty poke ball and decided to keep it. Ever since then he dreamt of having his very own and that one day he will catch his first Pokémon with the poke ball he found. Hitoshi then told Ash his story on how he met his very first Pokémon. When he turned ten and was qualified to have his very own Pokémon, he rushed to the Pokémon center that had the area's starter Pokémon for him to choose from. However he stumbled upon a Seedot on the way there. One thing led to another and Seedot who is now a fully evolved Shiftry became his very first Pokémon by using the empty poke ball that he found when he was a small child. It was an amazing story that prompted Ash to talk about how he and Pikachu met. As they talked about their heartwarming stories about their Pokémon and adventures, it was hard not to admire Hitoshi's strong will and determination. Hitoshi ran into problems with evil organizations like Team Rocket during his travels too and was disgusted by their abusive powers.

"Like you Ash, I will never be able to forget the pain in a Pokémon's eyes. The first time I saw it I wanted it all to stop. I was once successful in rescuing them but in the end only more Pokémon ended up suffering. It didn't matter if I rescued a few. To organizations like Team Rocket that doesn't bother them at all. They will just restock and keep on restocking. Pokémon are nothing but products that make profit for them." He would then place his black shades over his eyes as he continued to speak.

"I then came across people who worked for the Toto Federation, they had similar beliefs and experiences when it came to the evil monstrosities." Hitoshi looked to Ash, staring at him through his black shades as he confidently said, "The day will come Ash. The day when we can say to all the Pokémon in the world that they have been liberated from the evils of Team Rocket. That day will come."

Ash liked the sound of that as his blood boiled with excitement.

* * *

After a few days past, they were closing in on Mahogany Town. Something on Hitoshi's person started to make a ringing noise. He uncovered his Xtransceiver and turned to Ash.

"Go on ahead Ash." He said. He watched Ash walk away before answering to the ringing of the device that was conveniently attached to his wrist.

"Haru." He said as the image of a young adult with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes appeared.

"It's not here." Haru said.

"What?" Hitoshi murmured in a harsh tone.

"There has been no sign of them here in town or at Headquarters." Haru explained as someone with fair skin and violet eyes appeared behind him.

"Headquarters has a reserve that's underneath their library, the journal may already be in one of those vaults." Haru nodded to the idea.

"Let's go investigate. The twins will remain here on standby." Haru suggested.

"No." Hitoshi stated.

"If it was told to retrieve it by Yumiko than she is the one who has it now." He said as his anger grew.

"That witch." He cursed under his breath. "Stand by the premise." He ordered. "Notify me at once when they return."

Hitoshi hung up and placed his black shades over his green eyes bitterly before catching up with Ash.

* * *

" _I'm in Paradise!"_ Meowth thought happily. The past few days have truly been paradise. Conversations involving how great Ryuu is have ceased since that day. It was back to the way things are supposed to be. They lounged, sunbathed, enjoyed the hot springs and happily splashed about in the waves of crystal clear ocean water.

"I can't believe we have to leave tomorrow." Jessie whined.

"Yeah but it was nice while it lasted. At least Dr. Zager was nice enough to give us these few days." James said. Boy how Meowth missed these conversations filled with complaining about the everyday life of an average agent. Meowth happily listened to its teammates talking about what they shouldn't forget when they have to leave tomorrow.

 _"Things are better this way."_ Meowth sighed blissfully as it laid on the warm sand, feeling the warmth from the sun, smelling the fresh air of the ocean breeze all the while its friends chatted away. Unfortunately, flashes of the strange dreams its been having the past few nights always managed to sneak their way into its current blissful state.

 _"Why can't I have normal dreams?"_ Meowth thought lazily as it relaxed on the beach's soft sand while listening to the calming sound of the waves gently splashing against the shores of their beloved cove on their beloved island.

 _"I guess it's not so bad. At least I'm not exhausted all the time."_ Meowth thought trying to highlight the bright side of things. Almost every other night a strange dream would start. It was usually the same dream. Meowth would find itself wondering alone all the while the sound of music that he heard once before echoed throughout the mountains. One night the dream took a new turn. After wondering through the mountains, Meowth then found itself in an abandoned Vosche Town. As the hauntingly beautiful music played Meowth made its way to the docks. It sat down at the edge to watch the sun start to rise but then it heard something break. Meowth turned to look in the direction of what made that sound. It saw something on the ground. Meowth got up and walked over to see it was a thin limestone mask. From one of the eyes to a part of the forehead the mask was broken while the rest of it seemed to be okay. The forehead appeared to have a star in the center but the design was split in half due to the damage. In the dream Meowth ended up staring at the star that was split in two while the echoing music continued its haunting melody.

"Meowth we have some lemon tarts." Jessie hollered, snapping Meowth out of its daze.

"Coming!" Meowth jumped up to the sound of something sweet and yummy.

Meowth sat down to join its friends and was handed a plate of small lemon tarts.

"Yummy!" Meowth exclaimed in delight after one bite.

"Aren't they? Here, I've been saving these for our last day." Jessie showed a box of assorted chocolates. The label was elegant with cursive handwriting…James and Meowth couldn't believe their eyes.

"No Way!" They screamed.

"Schona's Delights!" Meowth exclaimed.

"The big assorted box!? How did you get that? We can't afford them." James said.

"Its called having a five finger discount. Since everyone was still preoccupied with cleaning up that mess from the fire, I saw an opportunity and took it." Jessie stated proudly while wiggling her fingers.

"That was some smart thinking there, Jessie." Meowth cheerfully praised her thievery. It then reached to grab one but as it pulled out a chocolate the silver keychain with a rocket ship that had a star next to its wing came out instead. Startled, Meowth dropped it.

"Hey be careful! These chocolates cost a fortunate. Eat them don't drop them!" Jessie scolded.

"Oh…uh…sorry my bad." Meowth quickly said as he reached for the chocolate again that was now the chocolate it was supposed to be in the first place. Eating some of the delicious rich tasting chocolate Meowth couldn't help but think about his dreams. The music that played through them all…it started to play through his mind.

"I have question." Meowth gained their attention. "Musical instruments, there are different kinds, right?"

"Yeah." They both said.

"The one that is loud when you bang it is called a drum. The one that has keys is called a keyboard but doesn't belong to a computer. What other instruments are there?"

"There's the guitar and the flute." Jessie stated but Meowth stopped her.

"Yeah, I know about the guitar and the flute but I want to know more. Are there more?" The two humans thought for moment before answering their curious feline friend.

"There's the trumpet." Jessie started.

"The saxophone." James added.

"Clarinet."

"The cello."

"What do they look like?" Meowth asked since it really had no idea what any of the instruments they listed were.

"The clarinet is this long black wooden pipe with many holes like a flute." Jessie explained as she used a stick to pretend that it was a clarinet.

"You blow in at the top like this to make music." James took the stick from her to explain his instrument.

"The cello is this big wooden instrument with strings and you use a bow which is like a stick to play it." He said as he pretended that the stick was the bow playing an imaginary cello.

"Can the cello be placed on your shoulder?" Meowth asked.

"No and I don't know anyone who would want to do that. But the violin is placed on your shoulder and it's similar to the cello." James answered.

"Ah yes…that dreamboat Mamoru played the violin." Jessie reminisced infatuatedly.

"Mamoru! Yes, he's a member of Team Oyama!" Meowth exclaimed.

"Yeah, so." Jessie stated.

"Team Oyama helped me throughout Kalos."

"Not this again." Both Jessie and James said dreadfully.

"They saved you! That's why you were with Team Hyoga. You see? How else would you have met Mamoru?"

"Uh...how about the fact that its common knowledge that Team Oyama and Team Hyoga share bases?" Jessie plainly asked to debunk Meowth's theory.

"But Team Solaris was there! Remember that blondy calling out to Mamoru? I came with him and Team Oyama by using his boat." The two were silent as they were thinking back to that day.

"I don't really remember anyone like that. Do you?" James asked Jessie.

"Not really but to be honest I was more focused on getting back into those luxurious hot springs." Meowth recalled that Anthony and the others didn't make any effort to communicate with Jessie or James. Looking back to that day when it was reunited, Meowth realized that the Oyamas and Diggory from Team Solaris were not at the Hyoga base long enough. Thinking about it some more, Meowth never had the chance to introduce them too. It really was as if they just intended to drop it off and do nothing else.

"Honestly," Jessie broke through Meowth's thoughts as she continued. "How many times do we have to tell you? Nothing bad happened, you were always safe and we were always with you."

"Are you not able to differentiate what's real and what's not?" James asked worryingly. "Remember what Ryuu said? Dreams are,"

"I Don't Care What Ryuu Said!" Meowth snapped as the waves thrashed loudly. Meowth realized quickly how fast it lost its temper as it looked to its friends' surprised expressions that were filled with sorrow. The guilt came crashing down like a ton of bricks, it knew what they were thinking. The guilt weighed heavy on Meowth as he stared solemnly at his friends who sat in silence staring at each other. They really want to become elites. To them Ryuu is the answer to all of their problems.

 _"I hate him."_ Meowth seethed as he saw the wedge that man drove between them grow even bigger. As the sun remained high in the sky the warmth Meowth felt vanished as the continuous violent waves continued to thrash loudly as Meowth watched its paradise unravel. It couldn't take it anymore. This cold feeling…they're not the trio anymore.

 _"I hate him."_

"I don't trust him." Meowth finally mumbled, breaking their silence.

"How can you not see it? Don't you think its odd that an elite like him would be so kind to us?" Meowth asked sorrowfully as its mind took it back to the days it encounter Tatsuo.

 _"I'll be the one smiling."_ His dark voice echoed as his intimidating smirk was etched into its memory. Meowth didn't know it at the time but Tatsuo wasn't a Flare he was working for Team Blade…in fact he's the leader of Team Blade. Luck was definitely on its side that day when it was face to face with the man that was the cause for everything back in Kalos. Now there's someone else causing it great stress.

 _"See you later, Rocketeer."_ Ryuu said to Meowth that one time. It remembered his smirk, it was kind and yet it felt cold as if the words felt empty.

 _"That smile,"_ Meowth thought.

"He has the same smile." Meowth mumbled, regaining their attention.

"Who does?" James asked sorrowfully.

"Ryuu, he reminds me of Tatsuo."

"Tatsuo?" Jessie repeated softly.

"You mean the Tatsuo from your dream?" James asked as he recounted the details.

"He was the leader of Team Blade who was pretending to be a Flare." He spoke calmly as he looked to the solemn feline. "So that was your reason all this time?" He asked. "Meowth, Ryuu is nothing like that. Tatsuo was just apart of your dream, maybe it should be called a nightmare. Being separated and having to travel through mountains on your own sounds terrifying but it didn't happen. You were always safe with us and Ryuu is,"

"But I'm not making it up!" Meowth exclaimed as it was fed up with such accusations. "How could I if you were hanging out with Mamoru and Team Hyoga members all that time?"

"That was because of you." They both stated clearly.

"We told you this already. You were the one you wanted to help them." Jessie explained.

"We were looking for refuge after we just completed stealing the data. We accidentally bumped into two Hyoga agents who were having trouble carrying icy rocks. You suggested that we should help them and in return they would give us free lodging. They took us to their hideout that was near Frost Cavern. When we got there we overheard that the Hyogas were having some trouble delivering never melt ice to their base that's near Snowbelle City. You asked why and then they said it was due to trainers always training in the winding woods. Then you said that we could help create some sort of diversion for them. You went on and on how we helped the Kanto teams and that we could do the same for them. We however just wanted to enjoy the hot springs and free food. So we made a compromise, you went with them to Snowbelle City and we got to have some fun in the hot springs." Jessie finished explaining the story that Meowth has heard a few times before. Hearing their false tale once again and being told that its ordeals were nothing but figments of its imagination was aggravating. He can't take it anymore. Pretending that it never happened is impossible. He can't it anymore! Meowth was frustrated, they were frustrated the warm sun that shined brightly above went unnoticed as paradise was now just an island.

"Come to think of it. We had to explain that to the boss too." James recalled.

"Why?"

"After we told you not too, you went in and practically humiliated us by wasting his time with your silly fantasy. So afterwards he called us in and we had to tell him we helped Team Hyoga with some of their deliveries when we were hiding from Team Flare." Jessie explained.

"He wasn't happy at all with that." James added.

"But why not? We helped Team Oyama and Team Hyoga in Kanto plenty of times before. Why don't we do that anymore?"

"Hmm…that's right we never told you about that." James stated.

"Tell me what?"

"Team Rocket is no longer allies with any of them. Even during all those times when we helped them in Kanto." James explained.

"You really wanted to become the top cat again so we did it for your sake. Running into Team Oyama and Team Hyoga were all accidents but then one thing would lead to another and you wanted to help so we would turn a blind eye and they would agree to never make contact with us again. They kept their word since we haven't made contact with them since then. That is until we ran into Team Hyoga in Kalos of course." Meowth couldn't believe what he was hearing. So all that time they did it for his sake just so he could try to achieve a dream that was out of reach.

"Do you understand now?" James asked steadily.

"Having a vivid imagination isn't a bad thing but you need to remember what is real and what is not. We succeeded in getting the data from Lysandre Labs. The boss himself congratulated us. Ryuu, one of the best agents in all of Team Rocket was placed on our team." It's like they have an answer for everything…is there no way to convince them? To them Meowth was only gone for a few days not months. Probably because they were under Team Blade's control longer. If he was hypnotized then they were most likely hypnotized too. And why would they want to believe him? Why believe a story that claims that they failed when they have proof of success right in front of them.

"Proof?" Meowth mumbled out loud.

"What if I had proof?" Meowth exclaimed uncontrollably. "Would you believe me if I had proof?"

* * *

"Ash, I would like to watch your battle here as well, but I need to take care of something first. Would you mind?" Hitoshi asked as they finally arrived in Mahogany Town.

"Not at all. What is it?"

"I have some business to attend to in that shop over there." He pointed to the shop on the corner that had the logo, _'_ _Tricksters.'_ They walked inside to discover it was a magic shop with all sorts of gadgets for a magician to pull off the perfect magic trick. While all the small trinkets distracted Ash, Hitoshi walked over to the front desk.

"Hi, welcome to Tricksters." An overly friendly male clerk with fire red hair greeted Hitoshi.

"I'm here for a souvenir."

"What kind?"

"Something that would make my hideout stand out." The clerk smiled and lifted the countertop for Hitoshi to pass through.

* * *

"Feast your eyes on this!" Ash's attention was quickly drawn to a store clerk with pastel blue hair who appeared out of nowhere.

"Whoa!" "Pika!" Ash exclaimed. The guy was waving a small thundercloud between his hands, which impressed Ash.

"How are you doing that!?" "Pika!" Ash questioned enthusiastically.

"Feast your eyes on this!" The guy with red hair that was behind the counter joined his coworker. As his partner played with a thundercloud, he held a little tornado between his hands.

"Wind or thunder." He said.

"It doesn't matter." The blue haired clerk continued.

"Just don't drop them." They both said as they threw their respective illusion to each other to catch.

"Or your trick won't matter!" The two clerks rhymed their playful tune as Ash and Pikachu watched.

"What tricks can we offer you today?" The red headed clerk asked.

"Oh I'm not here to buy anything. I came here with my friend Hitoshi." Ash explained as he looked around and noticed that Hitoshi was now missing.

"Where did he go?" The clerks looked to each other and smiled as if they were both thinking the same thing.

"Come with me." The red haired clerk directed Ash to follow him. The clerks then showed Ash some average looking bags. Some were small, some were large but they were just bags.

"We have all sizes of pippin pouches." The red haired clerk pointed out. "My brother Yuji will demonstrate how they work."

"You travel a lot but your bag can only fit so much." The pastel blue haired clerk began.

"A pippin pouch is a magicians best friend." Yuji's brother then handed him dumbbells, a potted plant, poke balls, a small TV, clothes and some small lamps. It was an average size handbag but as Ash watched he saw that Yuji was able to fit everything into the bag and the bag itself didn't lose its normal shape.

"Here, see for yourself." Yuji lifted the bag with ease and gestured for Ash to hold it himself. As Ash held the bag he couldn't believe how light it was, it was even lighter than his own backpack.

"Amazing!"

"Koji, why not show this young traveler our bike collection?"

"Good idea Yuji!" They pulled Ash into another section of the store. As Ash walked through the store he passed shelves with shoes, jackets and other items. Eventually they were in what looked like a sporting goods section. One side had bikes while the other had skateboards and roller blades.

 _"Just how big is this store?"_ Ash thought seeing that it looked so small from the outside.

* * *

Hitoshi went into the back of the store towards a giant gold cabinet and opened it up to reveal that it was a cover for stairs going down. He went down stairs to enter the small underground base for Team Rocket. He walked through the halls and entered a lab that had a few scientists working on some experiment. The head scientist looked up to see who has entered and Hitoshi quietly showed the head scientist his ID.

"Sir," the scientist bowed. "Did Giovanni send you?"

"Yes, I need to borrow your private office."

"Of course, right this way." The scientist led Hitoshi to the back of the lab and showed him his private office.

"Thank you, now please don't mind me. I need to contact Headquarters." Hitoshi said as he assured the head scientist he only needed a few minutes alone and that he will be out of the lab shortly.

"Yes sir, if you need anything, please call for me right away." The scientist bowed respectfully before leaving Hitoshi alone.

Hitoshi then locked the office door before making his way to the desk. He sat down and logged onto the computer. He typed in a few things and the screen showed him a map and some data points. He typed in the numbers 306 and 997. The computer then showed the profiles of agent 306: Jessie and agent 997: James. It showed him their current ranks as level 37 agents as well as registered Rusui for RT52PU. The data listed all the Pokémon they have as well as their previous time stamps, purchases that they made as a team and the vehicles that they have in their possession. One of them being a low grade Magikarp submarine. He gathered all the information on their recent activity, including information of where the submarine has been. He noticed the data has stopped abruptly and that the submarine's location was not being shown.

 _"Why would they turn the locator off?"_ He asked himself as the name that left a bad taste in his mouth escaped his lips.

"Yumiko." He seethed. He picked up the phone that was on the head scientist's desk. A few minutes past.

"I need to speak with Dr. Zager." He spoke into the phone. After a few more minutes the man in question answered.

"Yes, this is Dr. Zager."

"Dr. Zager this is Ryuu speaking. It has come to my attention that Jessie and James haven't clocked in the past few days."

"Yes they have been working diligently. That Meowth of theirs gave them quite the scare. They thought it was in the Viridian City Gym fire. We are pretty caught up right now and all their evaluations are done so I decided to give them a few days off. They should be back shortly."

"I understand, I was quite worried about it myself. Dr. Zager, when they return please inform them of their new placements for next year."

"Yes, I will inform them of their promotion to level 35. Pierce will have full responsibility of Project Verity and they will go with him as support."

"I would prefer it if you promoted them to level 25."

"They are not ready for something like that. They have earned their promotion as level 35 agents. They would be of better use as support for Pierce in the Sinnoh region."

"Then lets make a compromise. I have intentions of personally training them myself. Promote them to level 30 and I will come as support for Pierce in the process as well." Dr. Zager was silent. After a few minutes past he replied.

"You are very talented Ryuu but I will not compromise my research for your experiments. Level 32 is as far as I'm willing to go. You can start training them briefly after the New Year celebrations but afterwards Protect Verity will be their top priority."

"I understand, Dr. Zager." They said their farewells and Hitoshi hung up the phone only to pick it up again.

"This is Matori speaking. How may I direct your call?"

"Miss. Matori, this is Ryuu, how are you?"

"Oh, Ryuu I'm doing well, thank you for asking. How are you?"

"I'm doing just fine, is Giovanni in by any chance?"

"I'm afraid not, would you like to leave him a message?"

"Yes please inform him that I would like to discuss agents Jessie and James future placements in Sector 83."

"I will let him know."

"Thank you Miss. Matori, take care."

"Hold on, will I be seeing you soon?"

"Yes, very soon Miss. Matori." They said their farewells and Hitoshi closed up everything. He headed out and thanked the head scientist for letting him use his office. He walked back up the stairs and found Ash playing around with the sale clerk brothers.

* * *

Ash took a bite of the sweet bun. "Amazing!"

"Right!" The brothers nodded excitingly.

"So this thing could make anything I want in just a few seconds." Ash asked about the machine that resembled a common microwave.

"Yes!" They exclaimed.

"Ash, we should be going. It's time for us to head to the gym." Hitoshi gained their attention.

"You're battling the gym leader?" Koji asked

"That's amazing!" Yuji exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's going to be my third badge." Ash proudly showed them the other two.

"Amazing!" They both exclaimed.

"We have a Pokémon master in our very own store." Koji looked to Yuji. They nodded to each other and Yuji disappeared only to reappear with a badge in hand.

"Here, another badge for the Pokémon master." Yuji said as he placed it in Ash's hand. Ash looked at it and it was round with a red outline of what looked like a Moltreas in the center. The way the body of the legendary bird was shaped made it look like a "V".

"'V' for Victory!" Yuji exclaimed. "Come to our store again with this badge and we'll give you a discount."

"Thank you Koji and Yuji!"

* * *

"I see you made some new friends." Hitoshi stated.

"Yeah and they had some really cool stuff." Ash explained excitedly. "Where did you go?"

"That store is actually a cover for a Team Rocket hideout."

"What!?"

"Koji and Yuji are known as the Hideout Brothers. They sell all sorts of products for agents to use."

"No way! They seemed so nice. I never would have guessed that. So somewhere in that shop you could go down into a Team Rocket hideout?"

"It's a common tactic they use. Why look any further when everything is out in the open?"

"Huh?"

"It's cleverly marketed as a magician's shop. No one would think twice of what they see. Other stores are less clever but all are able to function without anyone questioning the fact that there could be a Team Rocket hideout underneath."

"If I was fooled," Ash began to say as his anger started to rise.

"It's alright Ash, you're not the only one. Everyone has been fooled. Team Rocket has grown full of themselves. Giovanni is a careless man, he along with everyone else in Team Rocket will be brought down."

"So what were you looking for?"

"Team Rocket has been around for years. If you think about it, I guess you can't really blame them for being so full of themselves. Team Rocket has formidable technology and extraordinary defenses when under siege. Their power and size makes them a great adversary but everything has a weakness…a core that could bring it all crashing down. That's what I was looking for Ash. When you are crowned champion of the Kanto and Johto regions…we will crush Team Rocket at their core."

* * *

Author Notes:

Hopefully I kept your interest till the end. Now I will explain my fanfic ways.

Hiromi

I could not find any evidence that the franchise gave Madame Boss a real name. The name Hiromi is from the voice actor Hiromi Tsuru who plays Madame Boss in _"The Birth of Mewtwo."_

Pangoya Region

This region is my own creation. The name is based off of Pangaea the super continent and Pangona which is located in the Vanuatu Islands. Not a super creative name but it sounded Pokemony and I finally liked the name among other future location names. In other words, I finally settled on some of the final details so once this chapter is posted there's no turning back for me. Let me start off by saying that I wrote the whole story already so nothing I bring forward is coming out of nowhere (Fanfic wise). I have backstories, folklore and everything else prewritten to make sure that this story can work. The reason why I take so long is because I do a lot of editing and researching. When it came to naming regions I had to think long and hard if I liked the name...does it sound Pokemony enough, can this fit, where can it fit, how can it function along with what has already been created. Also I like to bring forward real world mythologies or places since they are usually the source of my inspirations. This region has been in my warped mind for a long time along with this story's overall concept. Like I said I have every intention to expand the world of the evil organizations and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Much, much, much more will be coming about this region but all in good time.

Meowth and instruments

I said this a few times in the first story. Meowth is not going to know everything. I don't remember if it ever learned or seen a violin in the anime but for this story it doesn't know what it is. I've always felt there was so many possibilities with this character and I always thought it would be cute to watch it learn new things...I guess its a bit cliche...a different species or human learns new things from another human or species but I guess I have soft spot for that kind of story arch. Meowth is a Pokemon, it wasn't born a human it had to learn the human language, it had to learn human things. If a cat could talk it would still have the mindset of a cat, it wouldn't know what a human would know. It can learn but it will still be a cat and would still have the perspective of a cat.

Pokémon center and starters

My memory is vague, this was one of the last episodes I saw before quitting the show all together. Or is just one of the few advanced generation episodes I remember. In one episode I remember that Nurse Joy had starter Pokemon that she was handing out to new trainers. The show and games are different so from my understanding in the show you don't have to go to a Pokemon lab to get your starter Pokemon. If I'm remembering this wrong...sorry but while I have Hitoshi originating from the Hoenn region I wanted his beginning to sound neutral as in there is no Pokemon lab or professor just a young boy eager to start his journey.

Mahogany Town

I'm sure the majority of Pokemon fans know this but...In the games Mahogany Town has a store called "Just a Souvenir Shop" and the store is actually a cover for Team Rocket. I took some fanfic liberties but the golden cabinet is a direct reference to the games. There's a golden cabinet that covers stairs leading you to the hideout. The "souvenir" reference was referencing what the shop originally was in the games.


	12. Reality: Stop Pretending

Chapter 12: Reality: Stop Pretending

* * *

Ash was battling it out against the gym leader, Pryce. Hitoshi watched from afar as the sounds of ice attacks filled the air of the cold battleground. He then heard his Xtransceiver ring.

"What is it?" He asked as Alaister, who had light brown hair and violet eyes was on the other line.

"They have returned." Alaister reported.

"I'm on my way. Don't lose sight of them." Hitoshi hung up after he gave his order. As he looked up to resume watching the battle, Ash already won.

* * *

"Alight!" Ash exclaimed excitedly as he eyed his newly won badge.

"I called ahead and the gym leader in Blackthorn City will be waiting for you. After that it will be time for you to return to the school." Hitoshi explained. "I must return to Kanto to inform the Toto Federation of our progress as well as return to my post in Team Rocket."

"You're leaving?"

"You are doing great. Because of you we are one step closer to defeating our greatest enemy." Hitoshi patted Ash on the back.

"I am truly grateful and I'm sure all the Pokémon that are waiting for us are too." Ash smiled, wanting to work even harder to achieve his dreams, not just for himself but also for everyone around him. Feeling empowered by Hitoshi's words of encouragement made the dream feel like it will become a reality very soon. After this journey, after he helps rescue all those Pokémon from the greedy clutches of Team Rocket, he will become the world's greatest Pokémon master.

"Take care." Hitoshi said as Ash waved him goodbye.

* * *

"Here we come Blackthorn City! Right, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered happily as it was perched comfortably on his shoulder.

"Then its back to school." Ash stopped in his tracks. After Blackthorn City he will have to go back.

"Pikachu, I understand that I should get the Johto gym badges during this time but I wanted to battle with Misty and Brock before returning." He told his best friend.

"Pika, Pikachu."

He thought about it as his desires started to grow stronger while the importance of collecting the Johto badges grew weaker. Some of the people at the academy are not so bad but they're not his friends. They are people who truly wish to work for Team Rocket…he doesn't…he wants it to end. Walking through the halls covered in Team Rocket logos, wearing their clothes and being surrounded by people who praise the foundation…a foundation that's all about making money off of selling Pokémon that are mistreated in unspeakable ways. He needs a break from it all. He can't go back to that dismal place, not yet at least.

"If I could just battle one of them…it will be like I was recharged." He reached into his pocket to grab a coin to make the final decision but instead pulled out the badge from those brothers that he now knows to be the Hideout Brothers for Team Rocket.

"V' for Victory." Ash repeated. It is a nice little token and they were really nice. They didn't sound like they were lying to him at all. When they wished him luck…they sounded sincere.

"Alright Pikachu. If this badge lands on the V side we go back to Kanto. If it lands on the blank side we go to Blackthorn City, Deal?"

"Pikachu." It agreed happily. With that said Ash threw the badge up high as they both watched it flip in the air and back down into Ash's hand.

* * *

The trip back home was a quiet one, as the trio remained silent with one another. On the plus side they didn't do that stupid chant. Meowth observed his uncharacteristically quiet human friends thinking, _"Proof, I need proof."_

For far too long Meowth was willing to live his life pretending it was just a dream. It can't be ignored any longer. It did happen, Team Blade is real, what happened in Kalos and on Cinnabar Island was real. As much as Meowth wished that he could say it was all just a dream with confidence, such lies have become toxic to his heart. The first time Meowth tried to explain his tiring adventures to them was when he was reunited with them. He told them everything about how he woke up in Strasboro City and how he ran into Team Oyama and Team Solaris. He told them how these teams helped him and all the ordeals that he had to endure traveling through thick forests and mountainous terrains. Although, admittedly speaking, Meowth wasn't all truthful with them or the boss himself. He did leave a few details out here or there when regarding the annoying twerps. It wasn't out of spite or because of pride but because while the twerps meant well, their existence in his retelling of the story was meaningless. Meowth was truly alone, they didn't understand the troubles he was going through nor did they want too. To them the solution was always and only their way.

Despite Mamoru's warning, Meowth didn't care; he had to tell Jessie and James his story. A story that earned him an earful of laughter followed by their version of events and then being shown the documents from Lysandre Labs. When they showed him the data, Meowth attempted to show them his keychain of the rocket ship with the star by its wing as proof that he was in the company of Team Solaris. To Meowth's dismay he didn't have it. He couldn't find it…he lost it! Saddened at first, one look at his teammates bright smiles cleared away all of his despair. Overwhelmed with pure joy to see them again, Meowth decided that it was best to let it go. But now things are different. This time he won't back down…it was real!

* * *

They walked into their small apartment and it was the same as they left it.

"Ugh…I miss our island already." Jessie whined as she dropped her bags carelessly. James walked into their small kitchen to place food items back into their small refrigerator. He then noticed that they had a few missed messages on their phone. He picked up the cordless handheld device to listen in.

Meowth was actually happy to be home despite everything. Yes, their apartment is small to his human friends but it's their home. However the air in the apartment felt different.

 _"Strange."_ Their home…it almost felt like it was disturbed. Meowth decided not to dwell on it any further. There are far more important things to take care of right now and that's to take them to Yumiko's and to sort out this whole mess.

"Jessie, some of these messages are for you." James said as the partners in crime switched places. James joined Meowth by sitting on one of the soft cushions that surrounded their low table.

"Our workload is going to be decreasing soon." James started up the conversation. "The both of us won't have to be at Headquarters all the time anymore. Very soon it will only have to be one of us who will need to be on standby at Headquarters while the other can be at home. So you could either hang around in Viridian City or come to Headquarters with one of us."

"That's nothing new. That's usually how these things work." James paused, thinking hard on what else he could say to his troubled feline friend.

"Yes well, we will be getting news on what our new assignments are going to be. Also…" James paused again thinking hard on what to say as if choosing his words held more meaning.

"Some things might be a little bit different this time." He spoke his words cautiously in a soft tone voice. Meowth eyed his concerned friend. It got up to move closer to James's side and patted him on the head with its paw.

"James, I understand. I do want you to get that promotion. I'm rooting for you both, our team has endured more than enough that its about time we get the respect that we truly deserve." Meowth spoke in a mature fashion and it meant what it said wholeheartedly knowing a big promotion does require some unavoidable changes.

"I will make the most of it." Meowth said lightheartedly giving his teammates a sense of ease that he is willing to play nice.

"I'm really glad to hear that." Jessie said as she came in to join them. "Because while I'm happy to see that you like spending time with Yumiko, using her as a means of escape is not healthy. We need you here. You are our teammate so we really do need you to try your best to accept everything."

"Yes, I'm also glad to hear it. We are not just teammates we are best friends and we will be able to get through this together like always." James added as Jessie nodded in agreement. "Ryuu is really nice and a lot of fun, I know you will start to like him."

"Not likely." Meowth brushed off James's sentiment rather quickly.

"He won't be sticking around much longer anyways since this whole three to a team thing is only temporary." Meowth said causally that came off a little too happy.

"What?" Jessie and James said in unison.

"If anyone is going to be training you two it would be Pierce since we all work for Dr. Zager." Meowth stated confidently.

"Pierce training us." Jessie repeated softly.

"Well yeah, he's a pretty good elite agent. I mean lets be real here, I'll admit Ryuu has a pretty good record and all but its not like the boss will have all of us doing the same assignments. If anything we will continue working for Dr. Zager and the boss would probably want Ryuu to continue working on other assignments." The two agents were silent; they eyed each other quietly trying to come up with the right words.

"Meowth," Jessie spoke up, "The truth is," She paused, thinking of the best way to explain. "While you were out, the truth is that,"

"I wouldn't worry about that to much." Meowth interjected catching the feelings of uncertainty.

"Once I prove to you that my story in Kalos was true, everything will be alright." The two apprehensive agents were knocked out of their troubled state due to the words of _'_ _Kalos'_ and _'_ _proof'_ being mentioned.

"What?" They both said in unison, which only fell onto deaf ears as Meowth was clearly on a role.

"While I don't know how we actually did it, the fact that we did get the data from Lysandre Labs to the boss means we still succeeded. Its not like we need to tell anyone else the truth. The boss is happy so that promotion is still good as ours. It's a real win-win!" Meowth said cheerfully making sure to end it all on a much happier note.

"Um…Meowth." James started.

"James, we need to go back to Headquarters to meet with Dr. Zager, remember?" Jessie interrupted.

"Yeah, but…"

"But what about giving the journal to Yumiko?" Meowth interjected. "Yumiko will tell you that what I'm saying is true."

"Having Yumiko tell us your fantasy is not proving anything. Seriously, we really don't have time for stuff like this." Jessie stated coldly as James stepped in to ease the rising tension in the room.

"We'll go visit Yumiko when we have more free time. Would you like to come with us to Headquarters?"

"No," Meowth said dejectedly.

"But when you do have the free time you will talk to Yumiko, won't you? You'll listen to her, right?" He asked plea fully. He must get them to Yumiko. He just must…living a life of secrecy and allowing his adventures in Kalos to be derailed as nothing more than dreams was slowly devouring him. Yumiko will tell them. She will set them straight. Then this change, this cold feeling will be no more. They will be like they were before. They will, they will!

"Yes, we'll hear you out, but Meowth don't let this consume you. Its not healthy to dwell on dreams." Jessie said for she was tired of it all.

"Right back at cha." Meowth muttered distastefully.

* * *

Meowth was alone in the apartment as he listened to his comrades footsteps grow silent. Feeling alone and uncomfortable in the now quiet apartment, Meowth decided to bring the journal to Yumiko on his own. He went through the tunnels with ease and entered the forest that hid the mysterious woman's large private estate. The wind chimes signaled to his presence as a nice cool breeze brushed against his soft fur as if the vicinity was welcoming him back.

"Cu, Cu!" Cutiefly greeted as it fluttered towards him.

"Hello!" Meowth returned as Cutiefly made its way to land softly onto Meowth's koban.

"Cuu!"

"Yumiko, I'm back!" Meowth shouted as he entered through the front entrance but heard no response. Cutiefly then removed itself from the warmth of the koban.

"Cuu, Cu, Cu." It said as it signaled for Meowth to follow it into the back room where most of the social gatherings occur. Meowth slid open the shoji as he saw the slender woman with long black hair laying lazily with her elbow using a zabuton as a cushion so she could keep her head propped up with the help of her hand. Her usual attire that consisted of a black kimono with red roses was now a pure white one with a few shadows of Cutiefly colored in black and pastel purple. The smell of smoke filled the air in the room as Yumiko let out a puff. She was facing the open doors that would lead to the empty lot. Her back was towards Meowth, her acknowledgement of his existence in the room was brief. She titled her head slightly to eye the scratch cat that was in the doorway connected to the halls of the house before returning her gaze onto the outside.

"I got the journal." Meowth said. Yumiko didn't say anything; her gaze remained on the doors that lead to the bare backyard. Meowth placed the journal onto the chabudai unsure why he was receiving the silent treatment.

"Team Blade attacked me when I was on Cinnabar Island." Meowth explained.

"I tried telling Jessie and James and they still won't believe me. You should tell them. They'll listen to you." As the strange smoky smell remained and the sounds of her puffing continued, Yumiko continued to ignore his presence for what felt like an eternity.

* * *

A few hours have passed.

"Tell Jessie and James," She finally began to speak.

"That I will be very busy and can't be bothered with such trivials of agenthood." She said. She got up and fixed her kimono so that way it was worn properly rather than lazily as she usually does. "Go home."

"Wait a minute!" Meowth hollered seeing that she was heading outside. "I did what you wanted and this is the thanks I get. I went behind the boss's back for you and was attacked by Team Blade because of it."

"So what…you still failed." She stated coldly. "It seems that I was wrong to consider working with you."

"I failed? What are you talking about? I got the journal, see?" Meowth lifted the journal off of the table momentarily to prove a point. He placed it back onto the table gently as he turned to glare at her.

"Why do I get the feeling that you knew that would happen!?" Meowth shouted as his emotions welled up inside.

"Was this just some twisted way to tell me that I should stop acting like it never happened? Well you didn't have to go that far. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't forget it. You were right, whenever I see him, whenever I hear his name, he reminds me of those times…I hate him!" He said venomously.

"I want to prove it to them. You can help me."

"Secrets contain great power." Yumiko said, finally looking at him as she moved in closer. The once strange human that would make him do all sorts of crazy things suddenly felt cold and intimidating. Frozen in place, Meowth couldn't look at her cold black eyes anymore as he looked away. The tall slender woman used her closed hand fan by placing it under his chin to lift his gaze to face hers. She stared at him emotionlessly as the words she spoke were cold and unforgiving.

"Eyes of water are very telling. Your eyes…are frozen." She removed her fan as she turned away.

"You don't have what it takes to survive. Spring will never come for you. Go home." She then walked out of the room into the light that came through the doors that led to the backyard.

"Wait!" Meowth shouted as he ran after her. He ran outside to the bare backyard. He looked around and Yumiko was nowhere to be found. He then heard the buzzing sound from Cutiefly's wings. It fluttered passed him without saying a word or looking back as it to disappeared from his sights by heading into the forest.

* * *

Alone…Meowth stood there on the porch he cleaned so many times, alone. The large mansion was nothing more than an empty house with no signs of life. The soft breezes and the tranquil aura dissipated, the sounds of the tapping bamboo fountain have stopped as the feeling of loneliness over swept his entire being. Meowth slowly trotted back to the main trails not sure what to make of any of it. Yumiko was gone. Cutiefly was gone. He took the tunnels he grown accustomed to, unconsciously making his way back home. Jessie and James were out, probably still at Headquarters. He was alone. The air in the apartment…it felt strange. Meowth went outside onto their small balcony and stared at the full moon in the night sky.

 _"At least you'll always be there."_ Meowth watched the moon as he slowly started to grow tired.

"Fu, Fur, Fur, Furfrou." _**(The moon is quite lively tonight.)**_ Meowth heard a familiar voice. He quickly looked around only to lean over to look down and see that the source was none other than Furfrou. Such poise…was Furfrou using its flash or is it the moon that is illuminating its white fur?

"Furfrou, Fur, Fur, Frou, Fu, Fu, Fur." _**(The crisp wind of this night requires us to flow with the energy around us.)**_ It said poetically.

"Furfrou, Furfrou." _**(Why don't you join me, Rocketeer.)**_ Meowth didn't have the words, for starters it really wanted to ask how Furfrou got here. They're in a protected Rocket district that has state of the art shields and everything. Then again Meowth didn't really care. Meowth was quick to join its new companion.

"Fur, Fur, Frou, Furfrou." _**(Something tells me that this way will be exciting.)**_ They walked through town with only the lampposts lighting their way. They took the Northwest entrance into the tunnels. Inside, Furfrou came upon a trolley.

"Fur?" _**(What's this?)**_ It asked as it sniffed the odd contraption. Furfrou then hopped into the trolley and sniffed all the buttons that were on the front dashboard. Meowth hopped in as well and pressed a few buttons to get the ride going. He set the track for an easy ride with no target practice and it was to be done at an average speed since this was Furfrou's first time. A short ride to the neighboring city, Pewter City should do it. The open aired trolley started to roll forward on the track slowly. Furfrou seemed surprised due to the sudden movement but was quickly replaced with excitement. The ride started to pick up its pace, reaching the average speed it was set to as it continued to move straight forward. Furfrou then jumped up to sit on the hood of the trolley motioning for Meowth to join it which Meowth obliged.

"Fu, Fu, Furfrou, Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Fu, Furfrou, Frou, Furfrou." _**(It just keeps going. What's at the end? What's beyond the end? Its all fascinating to me.)**_ Furfrou said as its fur seemed to glow brighter.

"Frou, Furfrou, Frou, Fur, Frou, Furfrou, Fur, Fur, Frou, Fu, Fu, Frou, Fur, Furfrou, Fu." _**(There's nothing but the unknown this way. You see, there's no light at the end because we are the light. We will always shine our light on the path that we choose. Don't fear the unknown…embrace it.)**_ Meowth watched Furfrou stand up as it continued to shine, awestruck by its self confidence and fearlessness.

"Furfrou." _**(Shine with me.)**_ It said. Meowth stood up and flicked his koban to activate his flash. Meowth looked down the dark tunnel, he has forgotten where they were going. The tunnel was dark all around them but they themselves were the light. Meowth's heart felt lighter as the warmth from its koban seemed to seep into every fiber of its being while the wind from the ride moving danced against its soft white fur. Its because of Furfrou, it has this ability to clear all his troubles away. A Pokémon that Meowth was daring enough to consider a true friend, someone that he felt that he can truly count on…a Pokémon that never judges him, that never abandons him…a Pokémon that truly accepts him for all his faults.

Furfrou side glanced the Meowth that stood next to it, observing its glowing white fur. Furfrou took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, satisfied with everything that's around it.

"Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur, Fur?" _**(We are free…its wonderful, isn't it?)**_ It asked as Meowth nodded happily.

"Fur, Furfrou, Furfrou?" _**(Would you like to come with me?)**_ Meowth turned sharply to the sudden question.

"Furfrou, Fur, Fur, Frou, Furfrou, Furfrou, Fur." _**(I have free will and so do you. Would you like to surf the waves with me to discover what's beyond the end?)**_

* * *

Feeling the warmth of the sunlight Meowth slowly woke up. It looked around seeing that it was back on the balcony of their apartment.

"What?" Meowth was confused.

 _"Was that just a dream? No it couldn't be it was real…it felt real."_ It was early morning as Meowth noticed the location of the sun. He walked back inside the empty apartment. Feeling drawn to the door Meowth headed outside as its body instinctively led the way. He walked through town and it was the usual crowd during this time of day. Not that many people but a decent crowd. Meowth went through the tunnel entrance that he supposedly went through last night. He past a few grunts here or there which was also standard. Meowth wondered towards the contraption that could turn from docile to a speed machine depending on the settings that were chosen. No one was near it or preparing to get on so Meowth hopped in only to move towards the hood of the trolley. It sat in the same spot that it did last night. It sat there on the still ride looking towards the unlit tunnel it would go. Meowth turned to where Furfrou was standing, trying to relive that moment in time, trying to confirm if it were all real. Meowth stood up as it did before looking down the dark tunnel.

 _"What's beyond the end…is it up to me?"_ Meowth prepared to use its flash

"What are you doing?" A flamboyant voice asked. Meowth stopped itself as it turned around to see a man in tight black leather pants and a black tank top with short spiky tri colored hair. The roots were black while the rest was bright red with white tips at the end of each spike. He was Meowth's nemesis…the play director Kaoru.

"I thought I was going to have to drag you today and yet you came here on your own." Meowth paused to think not sure what he was getting yet, but then realized that today might be a rehearsal day.

"Uh…I…ah."

"Oh, no you don't!" Kaoru shouted. "I'm not in the mood to hear any of your drama. Now scoot over, this is the one thing I've been looking forward to and I'm not going to let a little heathen like you mess it up."

Meowth reluctantly sat down in one of the seats as Kaoru placed all the settings he desired for the ride to Meowth's long awaited nightmare. The trolley cart changed its shape into a Swanna and a small flat screen TV came out of the dash board along with a mike. The tracks themselves were filled with water, turning the trolley ride into a boat ride. As they started to float towards their destination, Kaoru stood up as the painfully slow ride moved. Strobe lights, laser beams and disco balls were on. Small little robot figurines popped up on the sides of the trail while lights shined brightly. Kaoru cleared his throat as he brought the mike to his lips. The weird looking village children also seemed ready.

"I wanna be the very best!" They all sang as Meowth watched.

 _"Why are humans in charge?"_ Meowth thought annoyingly but couldn't help but smile at the goofiness of it all. _"He's so weird…I think this is why I like humans…the unique ones anyway."_

"Come on you spoiled sport join in." Meowth sighed heavily but couldn't hold back the smile that has formed. Singing badly with someone else is always fun.

"Team Rocket's rockin!" They both sang the catchy tunes.

* * *

"Hmmm…Ha!" Kaoru stretched himself after getting off with Meowth right behind him.

"That's the best way to start off any day. I'm surprised that little rehearsal dodger was willing to par take in such a delight." Meowth felt that attack strike it like an arrow hitting its target but quickly ignored it so it could try to have a decent conversation.

"Jessie and James like to do it so this wasn't my first time." Meowth stated. "But it gets to loud for me."

"Ah…that sounds just like my Honeybear." Meowth paused to think and remembered that Kaoru has a Loudred, as he smelled its scent on the human.

 _"Oh yeah he's one of those humans who give their Pokémon pet names."_ Meowth thought judgingly, unsupportive of the ridiculous practice that humans take delight in.

"We must all get together to have a sing off one of these days." Kaoru said charmingly. Meowth followed him out into the sun only to see that they were at Headquarters.

"We're practicing here?"

"We were practicing at the gym." Kaoru glared at it. "Today, we are restarting practice at this ghastly place."

"I missed practice already?" Meowth asked nervously under the flamboyant man's glare.

"Mark my words you little miscreant, I will not allow my production to be destroyed due to your lack of cooperation." He declared as he continued in a dramatic fashion.

"This year's play was to be my crowning achievement. It was going to spectacular compared to all the past productions." He was dramatically passionate expressing his hopes and dreams.

"But then," he suddenly became filled with dreadful despair.

"Ominous clouds appeared. I remember it like it was yesterday. Giovanni summoned me on that thunderous day. I was to include you he told me. My dreams," He teared up, "Became lost in the wind." He blubbered tearfully.

"But you do the same story every year." Meowth stated not really seeing how this time would be any grander than all the others.

"You're missing the point!" Kaoru shouted.

"We are entering a special year. While the performance is still about the founding of Team Rocket, I want to take it further. Back to where it all started." He stated charismatically as he stared up at the blue sky.

"The sun and moon, they are the ones that started it all with their passion and devotion to one another." Meowth looked up to the bright blue sky as the man spoke.

"I don't get it. How is this year supposed to be special?"

"There's no time to explain. You already missed a lot of practice while you were," The overly dramatic man paused. "Where were you exactly?"

"I was with Yumiko."

"Yumiko? Hmm, well no matter what's done is done, but I better see you taking this production seriously this time." He warned.

* * *

They walked into Headquarters and Meowth reluctantly followed to what it's been dreading all this time. They walked through the halls and as always everyone was running around franticly to meet their deadlines. They entered the wing with all the training rooms. There were the training rooms for humans with all sorts of machines and some even included indoor running tracks. Other human training rooms were for practicing fieldwork such as running through simulations, which involved stealing Pokémon or priceless artifacts. Then there were the training rooms for trainers to train their Pokémon, including multiple battlefields.

 _"Oh…that's probably why some of them were there."_ Meowth realized as it passed some of the training rooms designated for Rocketeers. When it was at the gym it was odd to see Rocketeers and captured Pokémon training together. If it can be avoided Rocketeers don't like hanging around captured Pokémon. Rocketeers have their own training rooms in order to prevent them from having to interact with unknown humans and their Pokémon. Meowth had to focus on Sneasel at the time but looking back on it now all made sense.

 _"I guess it wasn't such bad day after all if I was able to miss practice."_ Meowth thought thanking its lucky stars that day. They finally entered one of the training rooms that are meant for Rocketeers. It had everything from the high beams to the target practice and the ability to turn the room into any desired terrain. Meowth quickly remembered that all Rocketeer training rooms are set up with a lot of booby traps. Kaoru causally walked in to Meowth's horror thinking that he could trip over a wire. However nothing happened.

 _"I guess the traps are turned off. How is that done again?"_ He then noticed the Pokémon. They are all Rocketeers including the Rhyhorn from before. There were a lot of new faces as well. New Pokémon that have been deemed qualified to be considered Rocketeers. However, Meowth knew all to well that most of them won't make it. Most of them will be sold off. They all growled at its presence.

 _"This is going to a bad day."_ Meowth sighed.

"This Won't Do!" Kaoru shouted. "I Hate This Place! There's no way I can work in such an environment."

"But Kaoru, the boss said." A poor male grunt tried to explain but Kaoru was not willing to hear any of his excuses.

"This won't do at All! Art needs a place where creativity can thrive. This distressing place is worse than I thought! It's disruptive! It's filthy!"

"But the walls are sound proof and the room is secured for you to have your privacy. The boss already has it planned for there to be a stage set up in here for you to practice. You are free to use all the equipment, he wants every performer to look their best for the investors."

"Are you questioning my artistic vision?" Kaoru asked accusingly.

"No, No, I'm" The poor grunt stuttered.

"Have I not served some of the finest specimens to our sponsors?"

"Yes, Yes, but the boss,"

"Not another word!" Kaoru demanded. "Tell Giovanni that this place won't do. My art needs a place where it can bloom. All the anxiety and frustration from everyone here are such toxic feelings. I don't need to hear it. I can feel it. These devilish feelings will tarnish my work. This play is about passion and it needs a place that is nourishing, a place where pure feelings can roam free."

"What about free will?" Meowth unintentionally asked out loud. Causing the two humans to turn to it.

"Uh…its what I've heard recently." Meowth shyly said. "The moon chooses its fate because of free will."

"Free will you say?" Kaoru mumbled to himself.

"Hmm…it looks like you've lucked out today." Kaoru said. "Practice is cancelled until this man finds a better location."

Kaoru pointed to the grunt accusingly as if it were his entire fault for allowing his precious play to be put behind schedule. As the word _'_ _cancelled'_ escaped the dramatic man's lips, Meowth dashed out of there.

* * *

Meowth didn't bother sticking around to search for Jessie and James. He ran home so his nemesis Kaoru couldn't get a chance to change his mind. Their apartment building never looked so grand as he viewed it as his safe space. He ran through the halls and made his way to the top floor. He unlocked the door and saw a pair of shoes in the doorway. James is home!

"I'm back!" It shouted happily as it entered the living room.

"Welcome home." The warmth of returning home quickly vanished as he saw Ryuu sitting at their dining room table with one of their mugs filled with coffee while reading the newspaper. Meowth looked around hoping there were signs of other life but to no avail it was just them, alone.

"Your home early. How was practice?"

"Cancelled." Meowth answered quickly and quite robotically for it wasn't to keen on talking to him.

"Amazing, I heard you don't really like doing that play. You're really lucky." He said wholeheartedly. Meowth only nodded slightly with a small fake grin. His presence demanded attention while his voice sounded soothing to the ears. It's definitely easy to see why Jessie and James follow him so willingly as Meowth was hoping that maybe at least one of them was here.

"Jessie and James will return shortly." Its like he could read its mind. He got up from his seat and paced forward but then turned his attention to their kitchen and walked away.

"How did you get in here?" Meowth finally asked.

Ryuu smiled warmly, "One moment please." He proceeded to their kitchen. Meowth followed to see that he was cooking something on their stove.

"It was going to be a surprise but we are going to have a big feast tonight. Also," He turned his attention to their fridge and pulled out some lemon tarts.

"I heard you really liked them so I made some more." Its like he moved in!

"Why aren't you back at your place? Surely an elite agent like you wouldn't want to stay in a cramped apartment all day."

"Not at all. I actually prefer this way of living. Its small but that just makes everything feel much closer. So I asked for a key." He said as the word _'_ _key'_ struck Meowth like a thunderbolt attack.

"Teams are stronger when they work in unison. Its best to be in each other's company, to understand each other's movements and reactions. A team won't survive if it can't thrive together so living in close courters together will surely help with strengthening our newly evolved team. Ha, Ha." He chuckled slightly to himself.

" _They gave him a key!?"_ He glared at the once scrumptious lemon tarts that he enjoyed on their island oasis.

 _"Those were made by him!? I can't believe they tricked me!"_ Ryuu rushed over to the pot of boiling water that was about to overflow. He removed some of the access water and eyed the dial that was clearly on low. He eyed the quiet scratch cat as both of them heard the duo make their entrance.

"We're back!" They both said in unison all giddy with glee. As they both entered the living area they were shocked to see Meowth was home.

"You're back already?" James asked Meowth surprisingly.

"It was cancelled." His friends eyed him suspiciously. "It wasn't because of me, I swear." Meowth declared nervously. "It was all Kaoru, you know how he is."

"Kaoru is very eager this year." Ryuu spoke up, "Everyone on the festival committee are working hard to make this year better than ever before." Jessie and James listened intently as Meowth grew frustrated.

 _"No one asked you!"_

"Now its time to really celebrate." Ryuu said.

"Celebrate?"

"Don't you remember Ryuu's email? It's all for you returning home safe and sound." Jessie stated.

"For me?"

"They told me all of your favorite dishes. So I did my best to make them perfect as well as the extra lemon tarts. Plus I made an extra dessert but that will have to remain a surprise." Ryuu said happily. Meowth didn't know what to say as its feelings started to attack each other at full force. Meowth was beyond furious that Ryuu now has a key to their apartment. Now he can come in here at anytime! While Meowth was touched by the sweet gestures and kind words, Ryuu's presence felt so off putting. Does he really mean what he says? It sounds like he does at first but his brown eyes seem so cold. The words that are spoken in his soothing voice always feel cold. Where is the warm light in his heart? Meowth can feel the warmth from Jessie and James perfectly but with Ryuu…he's so cold.

"You'll be staying this time, right?" Ryuu asked hopefully.

" _Like I have a choice."_ Meowth thought bitterly…where can it go? Meowth looked to all the humans as they waited patiently for its answer. Jessie and James looked at him plea fully, he knew what they were thinking. They want him to say yes. They want him to stay so they can all be a team. Ryuu was also looking very hopeful that maybe this time Meowth would try and give him another chance. The man that causes Meowth so much grief and frustration seemed somewhat vulnerable. He seemed truly hopeful that Meowth will try to give him another chance, but Ryuu is so...

 _"I guess I have no choice. I guess I can try to be patient for now…for them."_ It sighed.

"Yeah, I'll stay." Meowth mumbled. The growing silence lifted as Jessie and James rejoiced.

"I'm so glad to hear that." Ryuu said delightfully.

"I hope we can become good friends, Meowth. If I happen to be to forward, please let me know. We will become great friends at your pace." They are such kind words, they sound nice as the soft masculine voice spoke them…but Ryuu is so…so cold.

 _"I can't see him."_ Meowth thought as he observed the agent with dark blue hair and cold brown eyes that adorned the elite agent's face while talking to Jessie and James.

* * *

Meowth and some of the other Pokémon like Wobbuffet helped clear the table. While doing so Meowth came upon one of the few books that they have. It was their dictionary that Meowth likes to look through every once and a while. Sidetracked Meowth skims through it only to come across the word paradise.

 _"Paradise: a place or a state of mind; when everything is exactly as you want it to be."_ Meowth read it to himself before closing the book and putting it away so they could make room for the food. It placed it on the bottom bookshelf in one of the bedrooms.

 _"I guess that means paradise is nothing more than a fantasy. It was all in my head. Our island is just an island, nothing more."_ Meowth then came back into their dinning room to be surprised by the assortments. Ryuu wasn't kidding about there being a feast. The only way Meowth ever saw this much food in one place was on TV or in magazines. It all looked gourmet and it smelled amazing as Meowth could smell the garlic. The smells of the BBQ made Meowth's mouth water as charred smells drifted into its nose.

 _"He made all this."_

"Just remember we have dessert too." Ryuu said happily as he brought out the last dish.

* * *

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

Tired agents quickly got out of his way as he passed them.

* * *

"Cheers!" They all said.

* * *

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

"Is that…"

"No way!"

The bystanders whispered to each other as he passed them uncaringly.

* * *

"Let's eat!" They shouted.

" _It really does look good."_ Meowth thought but couldn't help but feel annoyed that it will have to eat his cooking. _"If I like his food would that mean I'm wrong?"_

"I hope it all came out okay." Ryuu said.

"Please eat as much as you like." Where's the warmth in his heart? Such kind words, such a kind voice…but he? Meowth prepared itself to start off with some of the fluffy yellow white garlic bread. The smell was intoxicatingly good _._

 _"Paradise may not exist but that doesn't mean I can't make the most of what I have. Maybe I can like his food and still not like him."_ Meowth was ready to take the daring bite.

 *****Stomp, Stomp*****

They suddenly heard the commotion outside as they also heard their front door being opened…

 *****Slam*****

The dining room's sliding door that was to the entrance was slammed open. Meowth turned to look up behind him as he saw none other than Silver looking angrier than ever before standing in the doorway.

"Silver?" Meowth mumbled.

"Idiot! Who told you that you could go home?" He walked in than grabbed it by the scruff while the others were still processing this strange phenomenon.

"Ow, Ow…Hey! What do you think your doing?"

"You make me wait for days in this black hole of a town and that's what you're asking me?" He started to head out.

"You can't do that!" James protested.

"Give Meowth back!" Jessie demanded. Silver glared at them, which made them extremely nervous since he is the boss's kid after all.

"Of course you two can have fun." Jessie nervously wished them well.

"Say _'Hi'_ to the boss for us." James added.

"Hold it right there." Ryuu intervened demandingly, "The talking Meowth is not under your protection."

" _Talking Meowth?"_ Meowth couldn't help but stop squirming at the sound of those words as he stared at the elite agent.

"You maybe his son but we have rules in place that we all must abide to. Return the talking Meowth," Just then a flash of Tatsuo took Ryuu's place.

 _"What?"_

 _ **(Listen!)**_ It heard the strange, familiar voice as Ryuu walked towards Silver preparing to retrieve Meowth.

 ****Click, clack, click, clack****

In that moment the dark cloaked man from its dreams flashed before its eyes as the sound of Ryuu's footsteps became louder.

 *****Slam*****

The door was slammed shut in the elite's face. Silver continued to hold onto Meowth by the scruff with his uncaring grip. He stormed off out of the apartment complex while onlookers continued to gawk at the strange phenomenon.

* * *

Author Notes:

Tunnel ride: This time the ride was inspired by the infamous Disney ride _"It's a Small World After All."_ Instead of annoying robot children singing the songs I wanted it to be where flamboyant characters can sing their hearts out. The songs had to be obnoxious and memorably catchy so at first the songs were going to be like _"Boom bop"_ from the Hansons or _"Spice up your life"_ from the Spice Girls. I think the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC were on the list too. I have no hatred for these bands, their songs are memorable and are honestly guilty pleasures. But it didn't feel right, I remembered that Team Rocket had a song and it was memorably catchy too. 4Kids may have done stupid things like calling rice balls donuts but their songs were awesome. No matter how many years its been I'm still able to recall the lyrics of most of the songs from Pikachu's Jukebox. Anyways I really liked the idea of having at least one line from that song instead.

As for the first line from the original opening for the English dub. I know that the rest of the lyrics don't fit at all. The fact that a bunch of agents or grunts would sing about being a Pokemon master is ludicrous and there's no way I can justify it. But I freaking loved that line being sung by my own character and I couldn't see him start to sing with any other line. So I started to debate with myself on what to do. Do I just extend the Team Rocket song, do a different song and which one, or do one of the 90s songs that were in the original plan. Logic side said extend the Rocket song but the fanfic writer side said, "Keep it! Keep it! Maybe the rest of the lyrics could be different like they want to be the very best criminal or something...who cares its just one line and its funny!" The fanfic writer won.

As for the food at the feast:

Food is the hardest thing for me. I mentioned it before but the reason why is because of the meat products. Meowth's favorite dishes are most likely seafood based but I didn't know how to go about it since I'm still confused on where the meat comes from. Does Team Rocket eat meat and its from Pokemon which is a big no-no in the Pokemon world? Hence the Slowpoke tail? Or are there animals that are meant for eating? I want to say I remember Meowth eating or mentioning its desires to eat fish but I could be wrong. I know the anime shows meat products being eaten, I remember the cruise episode where they were eating steak and Meowth was eating meatballs in another episode. So the best way I try to go around it is by describing the style like BBQ or the smells of garlic. Because then BBQ could be anything, it can be vegetables, meat or fish since these characters are Japanese BBQ fish is common. The smells of garlic is pretty generic too, yes it can be assumed that its coming from the bread but it could also be from a rub. Bottom line, meat and seafood products are most likely present I'm just not comfortable with writing it in specifically because if it was frowned upon characters like Ash would probably have a melt down.


	13. Mountains and Humans

Author Notes:

This chapter was going to be super, super long. In fact another month of waiting may have happened if I did not decide to cut it in half. Much like its predecessors, I didn't want to cut it in half. Usually when it comes to chapters, I like to have it start a certain way and then end a certain way. I try not to leave on a heavy cliffhanger unless its necessary. What I try to do is start a chapter like an episode of Pokemon would start and then end it like it would end in an episode...there are some exceptions but that's how this chapter was originally going to end...bitter sweetish. (Hence, the cheesy chapter titles too.) But the chapter was too long so luckily for you readers you get a chapter early. Hooray!

Chapter 13: Mountains and Humans

* * *

"Okaaay…You can let go of me now." Meowth hollered as Silver's tight grip was rather painful. Luckily the ruthless boy obliged as he dropped it uncaringly as if Meowth was just a piece of old baggage. Meowth shook off the pain and looked around to see that they were a little ways away from home.

"Look it's late and I'm hungry."

"Let's go." Silver obviously didn't care. Meowth watched him walk away as the night sky blanketed the Rocket town then looked back in the direction that would take it home to a banquet.

" _I really am hungry but,"_ Going back would mean spending time with Jessie and James...Meowth breathed deeply before proceeding to follow Silver. _"You're no picnic either but compared to him…I can see you."_

"Where are we going?" Meowth asked trying to break the red headed boy's silence.

"Your place is not to ask questions. Just do what I say when I say it."

"Excuse me?" Was all Meowth could say to such a callous, irritating remark. Silver stopped in his tracks. He turned to look down at it, his raging red eyes glared at Meowth menacingly as the corner of his lips curled.

"You owe me!" He declared.

"I heard you the first time but that doesn't mean you can treat me like I'm your pet. If there's something you want me to steal than fine. Just tell me what it is and then I will go get Jessie and James and then we will,"

"I'm not interested in worthless imbeciles." The boy snapped.

Meowth pointed to itself, "I'm not worth anything either." It stated point blank.

"Remember? I'm not strong at all. The only thing I'm good at is talking like a human." Silver was unmoved as he proceeded onwards.

"You also have a talent of wasting my time now let's go." He ordered.

" _I swear if you keep this up I'm gonna scratch your face!"_

* * *

They walked down into the tunnels via the North entrance. It was a large hall filled with mini shops such as curry joints, massage parlors and so on. They walked past the few shops and one of them happened to be a dumpling stand.

" _That smells good."_ Meowth thought hungrily as the smells from the fryers were hard to ignore.

"Come have some oden!" A heavy man shouted from afar.

"No, no stop here! We'll offer a special discount!" Another yelled.

"Please try some of our dumplings." A kind young woman spoke. "I know you'll like them."

 *****Grumble, Grumble*****

"He, He, He." Meowth chuckled embarrassingly to the loud sound of its tummy. However, there was no acknowledgement from Silver as he continued to move away from the commotion coming from all the food stands.

"Hey wait!" Meowth chased after him. "Don't you think we could grab a little bite to eat?"

"Look at that." Meowth overheard.

"Hey, look over there."

"I heard it bit Ryuu's leg and then he had to get stiches."

"Really?"

"Did you hear about the fire?"

"Oh my gosh! Yes!"

"I'd rather not be surrounded by such a bothersome crowd." Silver concluded as the constant whispers from the Rocket rumor mill continued to flow.

" _I didn't bite him!"_ Meowth thought annoyingly, eyeing the multitude of Rocket grunts and other Rocket personal gossiping between friends as their darting eyes never ceased to look towards the hot topics within Team Rocket.

 _"They'll talk about anything these days."_

* * *

Silver obviously had an objective in mind as he continued to make his way to a trolley. Meowth stopped to look at it as the images from that one night danced in its mind.

"Quit stalling!" Silver demanded causing Meowth to snap out of its daze. In a matter of seconds the trolley changed its form into a Swanna and the tracks were filled with water.

"Huh, I would have never guessed that you liked karaoke."

"Don't be ridiculous." Silver stated coolly as he sat in the Swanna like boat with his arms crossed and one leg over the other while eying the tranquil water.

A soundless ride? Meowth looked at the control panel and noticed that Silver didn't select anything specific, in other words there was no target practice, no karaoke, no nothing. Meowth liked the idea of a soundless ride; neither of them spoke a word. In a way it was comforting, listening to the smooth sounds of the water splashing gently against the sides of the boat was relaxing. Meowth then released another deep breath; it felt like he was holding onto it for a while. Was he really that tense before?

Meowth shook the thought out of his mind. He looked at the control panel of the trolley and saw the location's setting. They are heading for Pewter City. Not knowing much else, Meowth felt satisfied to at least know where they were going. It looked down the dark tunnel as the trolley that's now a boat sailed towards their destination.

" _It just keeps going."_ Furfrou's voice echoed. _"What's at the end? What's beyond the end?"_

Meowth stared down the familiar dark abyss. _"I don't understand it at all."_ It told itself.

 _"I thought I was in paradise."_

Meowth thought back to their vacation on their island.

 _"I was and at the same time I wasn't. Paradise is just an illusion. Everything was, as I wanted it to be. It was just a fantasy that I created."_ Meowth started to grit its teeth.

 _"I can't believe they tricked me into eating his food."_ The boat started to rock a bit as the water started to grow uneasy.

 _"Why did they give him a key!? It's not his home! He has a much nicer place. Why can't he just stay there and Stay Out!?"_ Silver kept his eyes on the tranquil water that was growing violent.

" _I hate him!"_ Silver turned to the quivering feline that had its paws clenched into tiny fists as the water around them continued to thrash.

" _I Hate Him!"_

" _ **Bum Dum Tch, Tch Dum"**_

Loud drums interrupted Meowth's thoughts abruptly as it noticed Silver turning on the radio for some music. Satisfied with the station Silver returned to looking at the water that was flowing peacefully. Luckily the music wasn't too loud like it usually is for karaoke. Meowth quietly listened to the music; the music was nice. Silver side glanced the calm scratch cat that was sitting next to him before returning his attention back on to the water. As Meowth quietly listened to the music its mind started to drown out the melody.

" _They gave him a key!?"_ It thought.

 _"Living in close courters together will surely help with strengthening our newly evolved team,"_ His words echoed.

 _"I Hate Him!"_

The once relaxed scratch cat that was sitting beside him was quivering with its paws clenched into tiny fists. Silver observed it momentarily before returning his attention to the thrashing water. Silver had enough of the radio so he turned it off which seemed to go unnoticed. It was quiet once again as they continued onwards down the dark tunnel with only the sounds of thrashing water surrounding them.

" _I Hate Him!"_

* * *

It's been a while since Meowth was in Pewter City. It definitely brought back some old memories, especially when it passed the Pewter City museum. Meowth then stopped as it saw that Silver was heading inside the Pokémon center.

"We're staying here?"

"Its free." Silver stated plainly as he continued onwards as Meowth shuffled its paws, walking slowly inside.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center." "Chansey." The Nurse Joy greeted. Silver responded by showing her a Viridian City gym badge as a form of identification.

"How is everything? I heard from my sister that all the Pokémon are better than ever and that it seems the gym will be back up in no time."

"I want a room." Silver said monotonously.

"Certainly." Nurse Joy proceeded with the logistics and handed him a key.

"Please enjoy your stay. Would you like for me to check on your Pokémon?" She asked kindly as she eyed Meowth with a warm smile. With the key in hand, Silver walked away.

" _What an attitude problem!"_ Meowth thought as its little tummy continued to growl.

 _"So hungry."_ It whined as it started to follow the rude gym leader.

"Wait." It heard as it turned to Nurse Joy who motioned for it to come to her. Meowth did so as Nurse Joy handed it a small chocolate Poké Puff. She smiled her warm smile as Meowth thankfully accepted it. Meowth ate the puff happily, tasting the sweet chocolate flavor as the puff satisfied its restless tummy for the time being.

As it followed Silver to his room the odd smells in the center were unbearable. The strong odors from the cleaners that the center uses are intoxicatingly strong. They weren't horrible smells, it was the usual citrus flavors that disinfectant clearers normally have in their chemically induced products. Once it's in a bedroom the smells are less strong. But there are other smells. Smells that are horrid. Whether it was in the entrance, infirmary or bedroom the Pokémon center did the exact opposite for the scratch cat Pokémon.

" _Its nauseating in here."_ Meowth pouted, slightly regretting it ate the puff earlier.

Silver opened the door to their room and proceeded to the lower part of the bunk bed. He then dropped his tactical shoulder bag carelessly before lounging on the bed himself.

"I'm confused. Why did you bring me here if this is what you're going to be doing?" Meowth inquired.

"Humph! Its late you moron."

"I Know That you ungrateful,"

"I want to go to Mt. Moon." Silver finally answered. "I want to leave here first thing in the morning."

"Oh, what for?"

"Does it really matter? The bottom line is that you owe me and I'm only collecting what is rightfully mine." He stated rudely which only infuriated Meowth.

"Tch, whatever!" Meowth responded and hopped onto the desk to open the window. "I'll see you in the morning."

"You're leaving?" Meowth stopped and nodded.

"I don't like it here." There was a long pause as Silver quietly observed it. He then smirked to himself.

"You have always been the strange one." He said as Meowth couldn't hold back a small grin before disappearing for the night.

* * *

It was early morning as Silver walked out of the Pokémon center. Near the vicinity he spotted Meowth who was leaning against a tree waiting for him. They then proceeded to walk out of Pewter City but something that smelled delicious wafted into Meowth's senses.

" _Ooo…I smell breakfast."_ It thought as it smelled the yeast of freshly baked goods.

"Wait, here." Meowth said as it dashed off. In a matter of minutes Meowth was back with two large doughnuts.

"Here" It said happily as it handed one to Silver.

"Nothing beats the sweet taste of a stolen doughnut." Meowth said as it shined happily. It then began to chow down on the sweet sugary glazed doughnut. Silver remained aloof as he eyed the Meowth before him. He then looked at his doughnut and started to eat it as they both made their way to Mt. Moon.

* * *

It was mid morning when Ash arrived in Pewter City. He ran towards the gym and there he was…his old friend along with his brother waving at him. The two very close friends high fived each other before allowing their hands to interlock briefly for a handshake shared between former traveling companions.

"Ash, It's been a while."

"Brock!" Ash exclaimed.

 _"I'm feeling regenerated already."_ He thought to himself.

"I had a feeling you'd be joining the tournament but what took you so long?" Brock asked.

"I was winning badges in the Johto region."

"That's actually impressive." Brock said slightly flabbergasted. "I thought that you would have come here first."

"He, Yeah, well" Ash chuckled it off. "I'm here now and I'm ready for a battle!" "Pika!" He declared.

"I'll battle you for old times sake but you will have to battle my brother Forrest for the badge. He is gym leader now after all." Brock said happily as he ruffled his little brother's hair.

"Alright! Let's do it!" Ash eagerly moved forward to go inside but the blockade of brothers were not moving along.

"But," Forrest started to mumble but luckily Brock took over.

"Actually Ash we were planning on going to Mt. Moon. I wanted to show Forrest my old training spot back when I was gym leader. You should come with us."

"Okay!" Ash agreed excitedly, _"This is definitely what the doctor ordered."_

* * *

Whenever Silver opens his mouth, it's always some rude, condescending remark that always makes Meowth feeling the urge to scratch the kid's face. Luckily their walk to Mt. Moon was a quiet one. The silence was welcomed but it zaps out all the fun. Meowth couldn't help but think about his friends. They would have talked. They would have random conversations that made little to no sense. One of them would say something stupid but it would have made Meowth laugh anyway.

As they finally reached Mt. Moon, Silver led the way to an area where the trees that bordered their path were further away. There was still plenty of vegetation around but it was really rocky this way. It was clearly a path that was less traveled, but that was nothing out of the ordinary in the Rocket business. The backside of the mountain was open and uneven with plenty of big and small boulders decorating the mountainous trail. Meowth eyed the unpleasant trail hoping that Silver wasn't thinking of hiking up this way.

 _"I really don't feel like exercising today. Getting up this early is a pain in itself."_

"You're going to help me catch a Pokémon." Silver finally spoke up. "I've been hearing rumors about there being sightings of Pokémon that are supposed to be extinct. I want to catch one."

"That would make the boss really happy." Meowth was delighted by the idea.

"Forget about Team Rocket!" Silver snapped. "I'm here to catch a Pokémon for myself."

"Oh…but why bring me? I know that I owe you but wouldn't I only be getting in your way?" Silver ignored Meowth as he pulled out a poke ball.

"Go Feraligatr!" He called out his large blue reptilian Pokémon as it appeared over the petite scratch cat.

"FFFFEEERRRR!" It roared as Meowth looked up.

"Umm…what are you doing?" It asked nervously.

"What does it look like? I want to do a little training first." Silver stated causally. "Feraligatr use Dragon Claw."

A green light surrounded Feraligatr's ferocious claws as it aimed to hit Meowth. Meowth dodged it just in time as the sounds of destruction of a hard, rocky surface rumbled. Feraligatr continued to swing its threatening claws as Meowth continued to run.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Meowth screamed hysterically. The ferocious beast chased Meowth up the mountainside then back down. Up and down. Up and down. The chase continued as Meowth jumped from boulder to boulder. Suddenly Meowth was hit by a strong force of water.

 *****Cough, Cough*****

Meowth was drenched as it coughed up the remaining water that managed its way into its lungs.

"I'm soaking wet!" Meowth whined.

"Your pathetic, a simple long distance attack should be easy to dodge." Silver criticized. Meowth was about to rebuttal but another hydro pump came its way. The cold water pounded harshly against its body.

"Now I'm even more wet!" The Feraligatr kept coming at Meowth with different attacks but as Meowth picked up its speed Feraligatr stuck with using its long distance attacks such as hydro pump since it couldn't keep up.

"Would you call this crazy thing off!?" Meowth exclaimed. It was growing very tired as it did its best on trying to dodge every attack but failed to do so half of the time. Silver crossed his arms while watching the horrendous battle as his eyes started to grow narrow as each attack was released.

"If you would stop fooling around this wouldn't be taking so long." Silver responded.

"What are you talking about!?" Meowth shouted as it dodged another hydro pump attack by jumping from boulder to boulder.

"Feraligatr!" Silver shouted as his Pokémon finally stopped its onslaught. He eyed the drenched Pokémon that was breathing heavily. "Will you not fight back?"

"Didn't we establish this already? I can't fight!" Meowth said as it was catching its breath.

 _"I hate training!"_ It whined to itself. Silver gritted his teeth at such a response but quickly regained his aloof persona.

"You really are worthless." He said.

"How is it possible that you managed to make it this long? If I were in charge you wouldn't even be worth wasting my time on. Not even placing you in a poke ball would suffice. It would just be a waste of a poke ball." Meowth was busy trying to ring out its fur of all the water as it listened to the boss's child belittle it so harshly.

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth responded gaining the aloof boy's full attention. It didn't seem hurt or angered by any of his words.

"You won't be able to understand but being weak is not that bad. I'm with Team Rocket; I love Team Rocket. I'm glad that I was placed with Jessie and James. They make it fun."

"You're an idiot if you think you'll always be with them forever." Silver said menacingly. "I noticed that Ryuu has made quite an impact on those two buffoons. It seems like he has moved in."

"It won't last long." Meowth quickly snapped. "The boss won't want him with us forever. It will be the three of us again."

"Not likely." Silver stated aloofly.

"I may not care about Team Rocket but even I can see things are changing." He paused to eye the quiet scratch cat, noticing its shallow breathing and the tremors in its limbs that were beginning to emerge.

"There's also that play." He said darkly, "You are in it this year. It's only a matter of time for when my Father decides to pull the plug on your silly fantasy."

Meowth gasped slightly to itself. Such a dark reality that Meowth has been aware of. The idea of it happening to him has always been a possibility. Meowth, admittedly has been lucky compared to the others due to the boss always protecting it from such a fate. The boss knows that they work well together. Separating them would hurt Team Rocket. But if Ryuu stays, would it be needed anymore?

" _Could this be it?"_ It started to tremble some more as it envisioned the possibility.

"I don't like waiting." Silver spoke menacingly. Meowth looked up at Silver who retained his smug smirk.

"All I have to do is talk to him. Suggest to him that maybe a disobedient Pokémon that travels to forbidden lands and is as worthless as a Magikarp is better off elsewhere." He then called back his Pokémon and started to walk away.

" _Is he serious?"_ Meowth thought fearfully.

* * *

The three boys were walking towards Mt. Moon as Ash explained the badges he won.

"You only got three badges!?" Brock was dumbfounded.

"Ha, Ha, yeah well," Ash timidly laughed it off.

"I kind of lost track of time." He said hoping that would suffice.

Brock eyed him questionably. "I could see that, but that's still a long time even for you."

"I've also been training a lot." Ash added.

"I want to win this tournament." He stated confidently.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Forrest said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, that is amazing." Brock stated but couldn't hold back his skepticism. "So you were training all this time in Johto and only attempted to battle two of the Johto gyms?"

"Training is really important to me." Ash proclaimed causing Brock to raise an eyebrow.

"Wow you must be really strong now." Forrest said excitedly. Ash laughed proudly at the compliment as Brock was about to say something.

"WAIT!" They heard someone holler. It was coming from up ahead. As they reached the vicinity of Mt. Moon they walked around the bend thinking that's where the voice was coming from. They soon saw a boy with red hair and a familiar talking Meowth. Both were unaware of three possibly unwanted eavesdroppers coming in closer.

* * *

"Wait!" Meowth shouted, "You mustn't do that!" It pleaded franticly. Silver finally stopped and turned to acknowledge it once more.

"Please don't do that. Everything will go back to the way they were once I gather proof."

" _Proof?"_ Ash stopped in his tracks.

 _"Proof for what?"_ The two brothers stopped as well due to Ash while Brock eyed him questionably before returning his attention on to the conversation that they can hear from afar.

"Forget How Things Were!" Silver demanded.

"NO!" Meowth shouted back. "I won't! No matter what we will always be a team. We will! We have always kept that promise and this time will be no different."

"Words are cheap even between friends. They have been given the chance to work with someone that has a much higher caliber than they could ever dream of accomplishing themselves. If they had to choose between being rewarded with a high rank or being stuck with you, they wouldn't even hesitate ditching you. At the end of the day they are no different from anyone else in Team Rocket. They're all the same, leeches who are worthless when on their own. They will always need someone stronger to support them. Air is wasted on fools like them."

"You know nothing about them. We will stay together." Meowth defiantly declared.

"Not if I have a say in the matter." Silver said ominously as he started to walk away. Meowth lowered its head as it felt the last strand of rational thought snap to such a threat. He can't do that! It won't let him! Meowth walked vigorously as it quickly caught up with him. Meowth stopped him as it got in front of him, staring down at the ground for the fear of looking up was slowly being burned away.

"I won't let you!" Its tremblingly voice mumbled softly. As it continued to tremble its voice grew louder.

"You listen to me, Mister Big Shot. If you try to break our team apart I will never forgive you." Meowth then found the courage that burned away the fear. It looked up at the arrogant boy as it glared at him furiously.

"How dare you act like you know everything and everyone when you're nothing but a spoiled brat!" It then pointed to him accusingly.

"Just because your Father owns everything doesn't mean you can treat everyone else around you like dirt so quit being so full of yourself you Lousy Ingrate!"

 *****Slap*****

Meowth lost its balance as it fell backwards to the ground. Meowth slowly brought a paw to the afflicted cheek as the stinging sensation started to make its way. It didn't start to cry, it just sat there...in shock.

"HEY!" They heard someone shout. In a matter of seconds Forrest was by Meowth's side.

"You can't treat a Pokémon like that!"

"This has nothing to do with you." Silver said snidely as he then noticed Ash and Brock arriving on the scene.

"I feel like I'm always running into you, runner up." Silver couldn't hide his arrogant smirk as Ash scowled.

Meowth sat still as its mind was still processing everything. It then felt a comforting hand on its shoulder as Brock knelt down beside it and noted out loud, "Why are you wet?"

Meowth didn't respond. Brock decided to move on while noting to himself the slightly irregular breathing that was presenting itself. He tried to coax it into showing him the inflicted area. He slowly reached for the paw that was covering its cheek.

"Let me see." He said gently but then Meowth shoved him off as it stood up which took Brock by surprise.

"I'm going home!" It declared then ran off to be alone. Ash tried to call out for it but was interrupted as Silver regained his attention

"You're starting to become a real nuisance, runner-up."

"You're the Viridian City's Gym leader." Brock spoke up.

"And you're the previous leader of the Pewter City's Gym."

"You two know each other?" Ash asked.

"Not by much but I did go to Viridian City to help out with the Pokémon that were injured. They say that the fire started in the apartment that was located above the gym."

"Tch, I don't need to hear any of this." Silver stated harshly.

"Honchkrow!" He called out his dark, flying Pokémon. He then pointed in the direction of that darn Meowth.

"I got to ask, how did you get involved with that Meowth?" Brock asked. "Are its friends around?"

"Ha, Ha." Silver chuckled, "For someone who was once a gym leader your not very bright."

"Why you…" Forrest started but his older brother placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from speaking further.

"I could care less about those two morons but as for that Pokémon…I caught it." He stated coolly while catching the runner-up's eyes widen ever so slightly.

* * *

" _The last thing I need is another twerp filled day."_ Meowth thought as it was rubbing its cheek that was still stinging a little. Meowth was walking by the river that borders Mt. Moon.

 _"What a jerk!"_ Meowth thought to itself as the water in the river flowed violently. Meowth turned to the water and realized that its fur was still wet. It then shook its body so that any remaining water would finally be off.

"Hey! Don't get me wet!" A woman yelled. Meowth turned to see a young woman that seemed to be around Jessie's age. Her thick Tyrian purple hair was tied in a high ponytail as light hazel green eyes adorned her dark olive skin complexion. She didn't seem to get too wet since her light brown leather skort looked dry. Her white halter-top that wrapped around her big chest and was tied behind her neck seemed to be dry too. Most of her midriff was showing while dark brown mountain gear belts were strapped around her bare waist. On her shoulders rested a fluffy light brown shawl made out of faux fur while her knees and elbows were covered with black knee and elbow braces that had hard gold like metal to cover the knee and elbow caps. Meowth eyed the tall human in long brown boots. It felt the back of its fur rise ever so slightly for it didn't realize that it wondered into an unsuspecting human.

"Look at what you've done!" She whined. Meowth took another good look around at its surroundings and noticed all the painted canvases lying around. Realizing that the water it shook off has ruined a few as well as spotting a few with wet paw prints.

"Oh…I didn't see you there."

"How could you not see," She quickly realized that she was responding to a Pokémon as she did a double take.

"EH!? A talking Meowth!? That's so neat!" She zoomed in to get a closer look causing Meowth to grow even more uncomfortable. She then backed away and nodded to herself.

"That settles it, you owe me for the damage."

"Wait, What!?" Meowth exclaimed but then took notice of the fancy silver lining stich work on her armbands and the small gold necklace that was hanging near her chest line. The stiches and necklace were that of a circle with a cross inside it…it was the Team Oyama symbol.

" _Uh…oh."_ Meowth thought but then quickly said. "But I can't. Team Oyama and Team Rocket are no longer allies."

"Ah…you know about Team Oyama?" She questioned, "You're with Team Rocket?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, I think I remember now. Doesn't Team Rocket have a talking Meowth? Is that you?"

"Uh…are there others?"

"How should I know? I don't keep up with the news. Ha, Ha." She laughed at herself as Meowth took a look at her many paintings. Most of the paintings were of the river next to them and Mt. Moon.

"Why are you painting so many at once?"

"I was painting my surroundings. Ha, Ha, you can't fit the whole world onto one canvas."

"Ah," Meowth gasped at the sight. The painting was damaged a little from the water but Meowth recognized the auburn leaves of those trees.

"That's the Pangoya region, but you can't see that from here."

"Yes but its still there." Meowth was confused by such a response but was side tracked as it saw another painting that was not damaged at all and it was a haunting one. It was that mountain…that strange rocky snow covered mountain that has been in way to many dreams to count.

"You can't see that mountain from here either."

"Like I said its still there." Meowth then turned to her for a real answer.

"You can't see these places now but they are there. My goal was to paint my surroundings and I did. That doesn't mean just this river or mountain. It means everything. But…" The Oyama girl paused for a moment and took a look around at all the canvases.

"I guess you could say I got a little carried away. Ha, Ha." She laughed at herself again.

"I like you, Rocket. As payment for you're access water attack on my beloved paintings I want to paint you." She said as she zoomed in on it once again.

"Why would you want to paint me?" Meowth was surprised by such a statement.

"I like your eyes." She said confidently.

"Don't worry I'm not going to paint you right now. I need some inspiration first. But when I find my catalyst I'll come find you so be ready." She winked playfully.

"Hon!" They both looked up to see a Honchkrow flying in a circle above them. It wasn't long till Meowth saw the twerp running towards him.

 _"I'm not in the mood for this."_ Meowth whined to itself, not liking how this day was turning out. Meowth stared at them blankly as Pikachu was on Ash's shoulder comfortably. Pikachu gave Meowth an unfriendly glare but Meowth didn't really care about that.

" _This is real."_ It declared.

 _"This is not a dream. This is really happening. The twerp is here and he has Pikachu. The twerp getting Pikachu back was to be impossible."_ It thought.

"What are you doing here?" Meowth finally asked as the twerp closed in on it.

 _"Someone must have helped him? But who?"_

"I should be asking you the same thing." Ash retorted as he knelt down to its level. He eyed it as his small grin disappeared while his brown eyes shook with concern. Meowth looked at him, it seemed annoyed maybe even embarrassed as it looked away.

"I'm fine, I'm used to it." It answered the question that was in his mind.

"That's awful!" Forrest stated, "No Pokémon deserves to be treated like that. Even if he is your trainer you,"

"My trainer?" Meowth interrupted.

"Whoa back up there twerp. I don't have a trainer." It corrected.

"You don't."

"Of course not you stupid twerp." Meowth snapped as it insulted Forrest.

Ash sighed inwardly. _"Maybe its here for that Yumi person again."_

"Enough about that, who's this pretty lady?" Brock's voice echoed as the mysterious Team Oyama member distracted him.

"Oh…who me? The name's Gillian."

"Gillian…pretty name." He said in a drooled slur.

"Thank you!" She accepted his compliment cheerfully.

"Is he okay?" Meowth asked, puzzled by the bizarre behavior.

"Ha, Ha…uh…yeah." Ash said as Meowth's attention was drawn to the menacing boy that was walking slowly. Ash then turned his attention to what Meowth was staring at then got up ready to fight. Silver ignored the growing tension as he closed in on them. He then eyed Gillian and took notice of the insignia she wore. He smirked coolly as he turned his attention to Meowth.

"It looks like I caught you again." It was as if he shot an arrow through Meowth for it knew exactly what he meant by that. "Their idiocy must have rubbed off on you. I wasn't going to leave here empty handed. I want what's owed to me."

" _He was lying!?"_ Meowth exclaimed to itself as its harsh words echoed throughout its mind. _"I really said all that…I sure hope Jessie and James don't find out…Oh no! The boss! What if he DOES tell the boss!?"_

"I knew you were lying!" Ash shouted as he snapped Meowth out of its inner turmoil.

"I didn't lie. Industries like Team Rocket don't rely just on poke balls to capture a Pokémon of its class." The gang tilted their heads as Meowth was growing nervous to where this conversation was going.

"Do you mean because it's a normal type?" Forrest questioned.

"Hey, Hey, Hey!" Meowth interrupted, "You can't go blurting out top secret information like that."

"Its not top secret, its common knowledge."

"You seem to know an awful lot about Team Rocket." Brock noted.

"Its not by choice."

"Well I don't think I'll be getting any work done around here." Gillian spoke up, breaking the growing tension.

"Please don't go Ms. Gillian." Brock clasped her hands in between his own. "I haven't even introduced myself, my name is Brock. You should stay...we could get to know each other. Why don't I make something for you to eat? I'm sure all your lovely paintings work up an appetite."

"You're sweet, but no thanks." She said kindly as Brock slouched dejectedly.

"Maybe another time." She added as Brock lit up to the idea of a second chance. She started to pack up her many portraits into her art portfolio case.

"What are these places?" Ash asked as his attention was now fully on her.

"They're just places around here." Gillian said as she packed the one of the Pangoya region. She then proceeded to take the one of the haunting mountain to which Meowth felt uneasy as that mountain disappeared from its sights once again. Gillian seemed to be done with packing everything as she had all her bags filled. She placed her large book bag over her shoulders as she carried her art portfolio in hand.

"I'll be seeing you around." She winked in Meowth's direction as she waved goodbye to the rest of them. "Bye, Bye!"

"Bye Gillian." Brock waved excitedly.

"What a pretty girl." He said as he drooled.

Silver watched the Oyama member walk away then turned his attention to the troublesome scratch cat. It returned to its timid self once again as it looked at him curiously. It certainly got guts to say such things to him. Meowth seemed nervous under his glare like most people and Pokémon are but as it stared at him something seemed to sparkle within its eyes. He saw it...he's sure of it. As it stayed quiet underneath his harsh glare Meowth seemed distracted by something else as it started to look around while its ears started to twitch. It was no longer paying attention to him. It was ignoring him!

Meowth's melancholy expression gazed upon the calm river beside it.

" _This sound,"_ Meowth pondered as it eyed the river's calm current. _"Waves?"_

* * *

Author Notes:

Pewter City Gym Leader:

According to my research, I learned that Brock was training to be a Pokemon Doctor. I also remembered watching the one episode in the chronicle series when Forrest became gym leader. I also remembered seeing another episode involving that gym and from my understanding Forrest was the new gym leader...or at least temporary...I'm still not really sure.

Again I researched like crazy on this subject because I was super confused by all the new information coming from the ongoing sun and moon series. I didn't watch the full episode, I read about it and saw a few clips of the episode on youtube. So my general understanding from all the glorious websites was that Brock is still training to be a doctor and acts as gym leader periodically.

I also always thought that his Father was the gym leader again and that his Mother was dead...she's not.

If I am totally wrong on this...sorry but this is how I understood it.

Pokemon Centers:

A fanfic stretch but I have my reasons. One simple reason is because cats hate vets. When it comes to the Pokemon side of things, I have my own head cannon theories.

We do see them stealing from the Centers from time to time but never see them using a Center. If the Center is free why not go there and rest for the night? So what if they are criminals...they got disguises. Why always sleep in parks? They can't afford hotels but Centers are free and they have many disguises so why the avoidance of a decent roof over their heads?

One theory stems from the show itself. I remember a scene from watching an original episode where Ash showed his identity via his Pokedex and Brock showed his identity via the boulder badge. So my theory is that the Centers are not free for everyone like they are in the games but are free for those in a government funded system...i.e. passing a test that gives you the license to become a trainer...there's a manga out there that mentioned a test and it goes deeper into the world for the anime as a whole...so I digress on it for now.

My other theories are more fanfic related. One connects with the idea of Team Rocket using their own set of medication. This theory is 50/50 fanfic based, because if my previous theory is wrong and the Centers are free for everyone then this theory could also explain the lack of using a Center. This theory relies on competition. Giovanni is a business man, if he wants to rule the world and if Silph Co. is the number one company he wouldn't want his followers using the competition's products, this includes the Centers if you believe the fan theory. So my idea is that maybe they are not allowed to use Centers at all because that might seem like a betrayal to Team Rocket as a whole. The other reason is 100% fanfic and is more in line with this story...for the sake of a friend.

In the games:

It is said that Brock would look/collect fossils at Mt. Moon on his spare time.

Behind the pages:

I have stated before that I have had this story in my mind for a long time. Long before I knew what fanfiction was or that there was a website for fanfiction, I had this concept about Team Rocket and what Meowth's role in Team Rocket could really be if the show ever dived into it. Before they started the chronicle series that debunked my theories, I always believed that after Meowth learned how to talk he joined Team Rocket and became the best pokemon...the star of Team Rocket, hence why he was so arrogant towards Jessie and James in the first few episodes and was saying over and over again in the debut episode..."I am the top cat."

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who had their own head cannon theories about Team Rocket at the time. That episode in the chronicles ruined a good chunk of my fandom for the trio as a whole but over time I started to accept it to a degree. I liked the fact that they showed us how Team Rocket trains their people, anything that goes deeper into how the world works is a win for me. Why I didn't like it is too long but to sum it up, it downgraded the trio as a whole for me.

I'm guessing a majority of fans know about the theories on how the Pokemon show was going to get darker but because the show and games were so popular they decided to change it in order to keep the show running as long as possible. I say theories because I don't remember if they were proven to be facts right now. So when it comes to that chronicles episode, I see it more as a band aid. Something that they had to put there because the first season was building up to something but ended up going no where. Or at the very least its not the full story of the trio.

Luckily with the help of fanfic powers, I can bend things. Since this story has been in my mind for a long time it has gone through a lot of changes. The one big change was how I was planing to end the story as a whole, but as I grew up and hopefully matured the ending has changed. However, I held onto the story because one of my main reasons on not posting it online was the fact that the show is still ongoing. I didn't like the idea of writing a story when the facts that are currently known or unknown could change. That has been a big hang up of mine when writing/posting this story, because I don't want to get to far away from the source material. They created a really cool world and I just want to add little expansions here or there. Fanfic ideas that are hopefully not too far out there.

What got me started were the titles for the new games; Sun and Moon. When I heard that, I knew it was now or never. In my story I always had the idea of there being folklore about the sun and moon in the Pokemon world so during the Kalos arc I finally buckled down and started to write/post.

I stopped watching the series during the Advanced generation so everything that I write is from memory or from research on the many Pokemon websites. (Mostly research) As for the characters that I am familiar with I write them as I remember them but I do check the many websites to make sure I am remembering correctly. I had to start the story somewhere and Kalos was still ongoing at the time. So that was my starting point and really nothing more since the overall concept of taking down the evil teams can be placed anywhere.

The Kalos gang was actually the perfect gang to start the story because the original gang was in fact the advanced generation gang. I was in the minority when it came to May and Max...I liked them. I liked May because she actually didn't like Pokemon, she thought it was dumb and she was scared of them. I liked Max because he was a little kid, it was like adding a new dimension to the world...showing what makes a kid a kid in the world of Pokemon. He had a strong desire to communicate with them and when he was trapped with Meowth in that one episode I was so excited but ended up being disappointed.

I liked the fact that Ash was more like a mentor to May and in a way to Max as well. So I really was liking advanced generation because it felt like Ash was growing up with me and the new characters were refreshing to watch. However, the good didn't last long. May got boring for me really quick once she became a fan of Pokemon, I honestly wished they stuck with her "I'd rather go to the mall" attitude a little longer or at least made her a little more irresponsible. Like make a lesson that animals/Pokemon are a lifetime responsibility and that she would have to decide if she really wants to continue on as a trainer/contest person. Or have her give up those responsibilities and then see what that means in the world of Pokemon...like what's next...real school?

If they did do this than...oops...my memory is foggy...I just remember her switch to liking Pokemon being to fast.

And Max...well he was annoying.

The original idea was because of Max's curiosity, he would have been the bridge between Meowth and the gang. So the Kalos gang was great because of the little kid factor, but since I didn't watch the series anymore my knowledge on the Kalos crew was zero...thank you glorious Pokemon websites.

Since my knowledge was limited and the characters were different some things had to change. Originally, due to Max's childlike curiosities it was going to be Max who would bridge the gap between Meowth and the gang. Meowth wasn't going to be as cold in fact I was planning on Meowth getting close with Max. However, since I didn't know Bonnie real well and due to finding out that Meowth did in fact travel with Ash before I had to change some things to make it fit with want the characters experienced.

Basically a lot of things were changed for the first story due to the new gang, new region and new evil team.


	14. Mountains and Waves

Chapter 14: Mountains and Waves

* * *

" _I hear waves."_ Meowth thought. _"This sound, its not coming from the river."_

 *****Snap*****

The sound of Silver snapping his fingers regained Meowth's attention. As Meowth's ears twitched to the new sound, Silver came closer. He loomed over Meowth as his intense red eyes were staring down. Meowth timidly glanced up. He was tall…a giant. It was unnerving to be reminded of the difference. Meowth saw that the boy's features were lacking. He was eying Meowth carefully as his brows furrowed slightly.

Silver loomed over it intimidatingly. He stared it down observing those blue eyes. It wasn't because of the sun...it couldn't be. A sparkle of light reappeared once more but then the Pokémon looked away from him again. He crouched down as his hand grabbed it by the chin and lifted its gaze to make it look straight at him. It became perfectly still as Silver observed its eyes much closer. Silver felt satisfied as he released his rough hold while the Pokémon released the air it held in its lungs as its muscles relaxed.

"If you don't want me to tell anyone then I suggest that you get a move on it." Silver said as his scowl was aimed towards the scratch cat.

"Let's go."

" _Its like I'm his hostage!"_ Meowth whined to itself as it placed a gentle paw over its aching jaw.

 _"Just get it over with."_ With that thought in mind Meowth was ready to follow the uncaring human.

"Wait!" Ash reacted quickly as he placed a gentle hand onto its small shoulder. Meowth turned to him as it started to remove its paw from its aching jawline. Brock zoomed in on it to get a good look. It was feint due to its fur but he noticed the small bruise that was forming under its chin. He reached out to touch it gently but Meowth quickly slapped his hand away. Brock eyed the unharmed hand that was denied briefly.

"Where are they? " He asked calmly. Meowth tilted its head slightly as it focused on him.

"Do they know that you're here? "

"Sort of." It responded softly as it looked away while rubbing its chin.

"Does it hurt?" He asked calmly but Meowth remained silent. Brock reached out to touch it once more but was quickly denied as a clawless paw batted him away.

"I just want to see." He spoke calmly as Ash and Forrest knelt down beside him and leaned in closer for a better look causing Meowth to back away a step or two.

"How did you notice that?" Ash questioned.

"It's not like you've been trained to notice these things." Brock said as Meowth consciously placed a paw over the bruised area.

"Wait a minute," Ash began. "You should have said something. Why didn't you?"

"If I scream they won't let me work for Team Rocket anymore." Meowth stated plainly as it continued to rub its newly formed bruise. Ash clenched his fists as some of the fabric from his pants made their way into his hands. He lowered his head as the lid of his hat overshadowed his eyes. He stood up and started to walk towards Silver. As he left, Meowth felt the rays from the sun grow warmer against its soft cream fur. It felt nice.

* * *

Brock watched his old friend catch up to the Viridian City Gym leader, then turned to the Pokémon in question. Judging by the conversation he overheard the possibility of Meowth truly being alone was eminent. Maybe they are nearby. Such an idea was not far from his mind but it is what it is. Brock then eyed his brother that was beside him. Forrest seemed to have a glint in his eyes as he was eying Meowth curiously. His excitement was seeping through. Growing up with being told tales or watching TV about talking Pokémon has always been apart of being a child but to actually meet one was something else. It was like his little brother was star struck as he saw the thousands of questions circulating in his brother's mind. Maybe it's his lack of experience with Team Rocket that's causing the ignorance within Forrest but then again…

Brock observed the quiet scratch cat Pokémon who was gazing at the river while its ears twitched every once in a while. Meowth may have been an adversary along with it's friends in the past countless of times, but a talking Pokémon is quite the spectacle that even Brock couldn't suppress a small grin at the thought.

* * *

" _I can't stand this! I shouldn't have to be told I am worthy for any league by the likes of you! You're nothing compared to all the leaders I have faced! You're not like any of them at all! You're not a gym leader!"_ Ash thought.

" _Team Rocket,"_ He seethed as he got in front of Silver to block him from going any further.

"Get out of my way." Silver demanded.

"I will but Meowth isn't coming with you."

" _What!?"_ Meowth thought flabbergasted.

"It doesn't belong to you." Silver stated as Ash glared at him.

"Stay out of this Twerp!" Meowth shouted causing Ash and his friends to be caught off guard.

"Things are bad enough as they are. I'd rather be with him right now so back off."

"He, He," Silver chuckled. "Even a Pokémon knows better than you, runner up. I'm only getting what is rightfully mine after all. We made a deal."

"A deal?" Those despicable words tasted like tar stuck in his mouth. They brought back unhappy memories as Ash remembered watching Meowth repeatedly fulfill some stupid deal. Looking back on all those times, Ash now knows the truth about how Team Oyama helped Team Rocket all the way through. He was used through all of it!

"Battle me!" Ash shouted. "If I win then the deal is off."

"And if I win?" Silver smirked, "Then what?"

"I will win!"

"Alright, I'll humor you, runner up. But just this once." He said. "Sneasel Go!"

"Sneasel!"

"You're up Pikachu!" Ash said as he turned to his friend sitting on his shoulder.

"Pi?" Pikachu looked to Ash then turned to the scratch cat who seemed to not be paying attention. How can it be so relaxed right now? Angered by just seeing it, Pikachu didn't jump off of Ash's shoulder right away. Pikachu looked over at the human and his Pokémon that would be its opponent in this rather unnecessary battle. Out of all of the Pokémon in the world why must it fight on behalf for the one that is evil in nature? Looking at the human who denied them a gym battle, his smile was cold and his eyes seemed cruel. They will always be adversaries Pikachu concluded to itself. However, in the end they are both Pokémon.

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder ready to battle the dark/ice type foe.

* * *

"Pikachu use iron tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu charged towards Sneasel as its tail brightened.

"Use protect!" Silver ordered.

"Sneas!" Sneasel released a turquoise force field to protect itself from Pikachu's attack.

"That's the best you can do?" Silver chuckled at his foolishness.

"Now Sneasel!" He yelled.

"Sne, Sne!" Sneasel charged towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu hit Sneasel with electro ball!"

"Pika," Pikachu formed a giant ball of electricity and aimed to hit the Sneasel. As Pikachu fired, Sneasel dodged it…it disappeared.

"Where did it go?" Ash wondered.

"Pi, Pi, Pi." Pikachu was looking around franticly.

"Snea, Snea!" Within a matter of seconds Sneasel reappeared right behind Pikachu then kicked it with full force.

"Pika!"

"That was Sneasel's feint attack!" Brock stated as he observed the battle.

"Use Blizzard to finish it off!" As Pikachu made contact with the ground after that last assault it was quickly hit with blasts of snow. The large snowballs came at Pikachu harshly as it felt the cold snow pound against its body. Feeling cold and weak after such a brutal attack Pikachu's desire to continue this battle faded as it laid still on the ground.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out as he ran to pick up his friend.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he cradled Pikachu.

"Pika Pi." It responded softly.

"So much for humoring you. This battle was pointless." Ash growled at his remark.

"I had enough of wasting my time on an amateur like you. And as for you…huh?" He was ready to give that scratch cat a piece of his mind but was surprised to see it wasn't there anymore.

"It must have left when we were all watching the battle." Brock concluded.

* * *

" _That twerp certainly knows how to make my life harder."_ Meowth said to itself as it walked away from the scene. Since everyone was preoccupied Meowth saw its chance to get away. A little time away from humans is always refreshing.

" _As much as I would like to go home I know I can't._ _At least not right now. Not when Silver is being a bigger pain than Jessie, James and the twerps combined."_ It sighed heavily. Silver will probably use his Honchkrow to find it again. Meowth sat down on the side of the road to wait. It sighed again.

" _Well once this is over it will be fine. The sooner the better."_ Meowth leaned back to lay against the tree trunk that was behind him. As he closed his eyes to relax for a bit, something slimly started to touch his hind legs. Meowth opened his eyes to come face to face with an Omastar.

"Gah!" Meowth screamed, startled by the spiral Pokémon's sudden appearance.

"Omastar." _**(So soft.)**_ It said as its tentacles were touching the fur on Meowth's belly. Meowth wanted to snap at it but couldn't since Omastar's soft touches were getting ticklish. Trying to hold in the laughter by covering his mouth with a paw, Meowth couldn't hold it in anymore as he started to laugh.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" He started to roll on the ground.

"Stop, Stop you're tickling me!" The tickling stopped and Meowth was finally able to breath. He looked up to see that the Omastar has started to crawl away.

" _Is it because I talked?"_ Omastar stopped and turned back around. A blue tentacle latched onto his paw and started to pull Meowth with it.

"Oma, Omastar." _**(Come on softy.)**_ Omastar said.

"Oma, Omastar, Star, Star, Om, Oma, Omastar, Star." _**(I was just on my way home when I saw you lying out in the open like that. So I asked myself, 'why would a young wild Pokémon be doing that?' If my trainer was still among us I bet he would have poked you with a stick. Ha, boy does that take me back.)**_ This old Pokémon sure likes to talk.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Oma, Omastar." _**(Home silly. I live in the mountain.)**_ It said happily as they walked towards the mouth of the cave.

"Star, Oma, Omastar, Omastar, Oma, Omas." _**(Yep! Home sweet home. It really sets the mind at ease. I get to relax and I don't have to worry about a thing. Nothing beats spending a day at home.)**_

"Sneasel!" Meowth heard a loud shriek as he was shoved to the ground.

"Ow!" Meowth turned to see it was Sneasel.

"Sne, Sne, Sneasel." _**(You're so boring you freak of nature.)**_ Meowth growled as he got up ready to pounce.

"Oma, Omastar." _**(Now this takes me back.)**_ The Omastar cuts in the middle of their squabble.

"Omastar, Omas, Oma, Oma, Omastar, Oma, Omastar, Star, Star." _**(When I was just a wee little thing my brother and I would always ruff house. He would tackle me, throw me, smash me; he would do all sorts of things to me. That is until I ate him.)**_

"What!?" "Snea!?" They shrieked.

"Om, Om, Om, Omastar, Oma, Oma, Om, Om." _**(Ha, Ha, Ha just kidding but I'm still here. Who's laughing now brother? Ha, Ha!)**_ The old senile Pokémon continued to laugh.

"Okay I think I've heard everything." Meowth said.

"I'm ready to leave if you are." He said as he turned to Sneasel.

"Snea, Snea." It agreed.

"Omastar, Star." _**(But you didn't see my home yet.)**_ Omastar insisted as a blue tentacle wrapped around Meowth's paw.

"Oma, Oma, Omastar." _**(Your friend can come too. It will be a party.)**_

"We're not friends." Meowth quickly said.

"Sne, Sne, Sneasel." _**(I could care less about the freak of nature.)**_ Meowth growled at such an insult while Omastar took a moment to sniff the air.

"Oma, Omastar, Omastar." _**(Oh, you're a captured Pokémon. I can smell human on you.)**_ Omastar turned to Meowth.

"Omastar, Omastar, Star, Star, Oma, Omastar, Omas." _**(I can smell human on you too but it's different. It's not as strong.)**_

"That's because I'm not a pet. I'm still wild. I live with humans but I'm not forced to, it's a real win-win." He stated happily as Sneasel glared at him.

"Omas, Oma, Omastar, Star, Omastar, Omastar, Oma." _**(Oh I think I've met a Pokémon like you before. A very ambitious creature too filled with boundless of energy that I didn't have even when I was in my youth. Ha, boy does that take me back.)**_

"Hon!" They heard as they all looked up to see Honchkrow circling above them. It wasn't long till they saw the twerps and Silver coming towards them.

"Omastar." _**(Oh look humans!)**_ Omastar pointed out excitedly.

"Omastar, Omastar, Oma, Oma, Omastar." _**(Do you think one of them would like to have me on their team? I can't stand living in this dump.)**_

"But you were just saying how great it is to be home." Meowth said finding the old Pokémon's change of tune to be rather crazy.

"Oma, Omastar, Omastar, Star, Star, Star, Omastar, Oma, Star, Omastar." _**(I lied! Being cooped up here is so boring. I may be old but I still got some fighting spirit in me. I want to battle and go on adventures again. I want to experience the sweet taste of victory again. Oh look there's so many!)**_ It said happily as it saw the four humans making their way towards them.

It waved its blue tentacles franticly as it said. "Oma, Oma, Oma." _**(Catch me! Catch me! Catch me!)**_

"Hey is that what I think it is?" Forrest inquired as they closed in on the Pokémon and noticed the rare Pokémon beside Sneasel and Meowth.

"Your right, it is!" Brock confirmed.

"There you are!" Ash said. "We found you."

"We?" Silver broke his silence. "It was my Pokémon that did all the work. Judging by your level of incompetence you'd probably mistake a Sudowoodo for a tree."

"Ooom, Omastar, Star." _**(Ooo, he's seems edgy. I want him!)**_

"Trust me you don't."

 *****Whack*****

"Ow!" Meowth whined as Sneasel back pawed him over the head.

"Grr…Just you wait! I'll make sure you get want's coming to you." Ash stated viciously.

"Ooom, Oma, Omastar, Star, Oma." _**(Ooo, I sense a fiery spirit from that one. He reminds me of my human friend that I had long ago.)**_

"The twerp certainly has the qualities of a good trainer but he's annoying and an idiot. But between him and Silver the twerp does love and treat his Pokémon very well. You would be happy with him."

"With your skills I highly doubt it. The Kalos tournament must have been pretty pathetic to have someone like you to be able to make it to the final rounds."

"Grr…why I ought a…"

"Would you two just stop it?" Brock intervened.

"Ooom, Omastar." _**(Ooo, he seems sensible.)**_

"The big twerp? If I remember correctly he used to take care of the twerps."

"Omastar, Omastar, Oma, Omas, Omastar, Oma." _**(You know I've noticed something when choosing a human. There's always a standard three.)**_

It pointed to Ash. "Omastar." _**(Energetic)**_

Then Silver. "Oma." _**(Serious)**_

Then Brock. "Omas, Omastar, Oma, Oma, Omastar." _**(Practical. Not much of a variety is there?)**_

"Hey what's the Omastar saying?" Forrest question for he wasn't really interested in the fight.

"Oh its uh…" Meowth turned to Omastar to make sure it was okay to say that Omastar was in the market for a new human. Omastar excitedly wiggled its tentacles as it nodded.

"It's wondering about you humans. It wants to know if you would make a good trainer."

"I'm the gym leader of the Pewter City Gym. If it wants we could always come back to Mt. Moon to visit since its not that far away." Omastar crawled towards Forrest to get a better look at the young gym leader. Touching his legs with its tentacles and getting acquainted with the boy's unique individual scent. Omastar started to crawl up Forrest's back and onto his head.

"Uh…what's it doing?"

"Omm, Omastar, Oma, Oma." _**(Hmm, this one might do. What the heck I like him.)**_

"It likes you."

"Really?" Forrest blushed. Omastar crawled back down and started to head inside the cave.

Oma, Omastar, Oma." _**(Well got to head home first.)**_ It then stopped and turned around to grab Meowth's paw to pull him along.

"Oma, Oma, Star." _**(Come on don't be shy.)**_

"Alright, Alright I'll go with you. Quit pulling me." Meowth whined.

"Om, Om, Omastar, Omas, Oma." _**(Ha, Ha, hatchlings these todays are so cautious.)**_

* * *

"Uh…guys." Forrest got the bickering trainers' attention. "The Omastar and Meowth went inside the cave."

* * *

"Hey wait up!" Ash hollered as they went after them. As the humans ran inside to reach the Pokémon, Meowth was the only one to stop as its ears started to twitch.

"Thanks for waiting for us." Meowth didn't make any remark to Ash's gratitude as its ears continued to twitch. It started to act odd as it looked around slowly at its cavelike surroundings.

"What's wrong?" Meowth looked up at the rock ceiling as it continued to ignore him. It started to pace forward a bit but then stopped again as its ears continued to twitch.

"Omastar, Star." _**(Home is deeper in the cave.)**_ Omastar said causing Meowth to look at it.

"Um…is there…" Meowth started to mumble softly, "Is there an ocean near here?"

"An ocean?" Brock questioned.

"It's faint but I can hear waves." Sneasel moved to his side as Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder. Both Pokémon tried to listen for the waves.

"Can you hear it too, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pikachu, Pi, Pi, Pikachu." Pikachu answered shaking its head.

"What about you?" Silver asked Sneasel to which it gave the same response as Pikachu.

"Sneasel, Sne, Sne, Sneas, Sneasel." _**(It only makes sense that the freak of nature is insane as well.)**_ Sneasel said snidely.

"Pika!" _**(Hey!)**_

"At least I'm not some stupid pet!" Meowth snapped back.

"Pikachu! Pika, Pikachu, Chu!" _**(Never mind! I can't stand either of you!)**_

"Sneasel!" It lunged at Meowth with the attempts to scratch Meowth with its long talons but Meowth dodged it and was about to attack Sneasel with a good old fashion furry swipes to the face but was stopped as Brock cuts in between them.

"Stop it!" He ordered as he was getting tired of playing referee.

"Sneasel started it!" Meowth shouted as he pointed accusingly. Meowth then shoved Brock's interfering arm out of the way angrily as he stomped off to continue following the old Omastar who was patiently waiting.

"That's interesting."

"What is?" Ash asked.

"It's like a small child." He then eyed the one arm that was unscratched. They then continued onwards themselves as Pikachu hopped on to Ash's shoulder once more. Silver walked behind them as he went to his Sneasel.

"Do whatever it takes." He ordered as Sneasel growled bitterly.

* * *

As they continued to follow Omastar, Meowth would sometimes pick up the sounds of waves. However, it didn't stop walking to analyze it further seeing that only made things worse.

"Brock is there an ocean nearby?" Ash asked since he noticed Meowth's ears would twitch like little radars every so often and his curiosity on the matter was itching him to discover more.

"Hmm…no the only body of water is that river that flows through here. I used to come here all the time when I was a kid to search for fossils and…wait," Brock paused as he thought back to his past.

"Come to think of it there was that one time when I was participating in the Pewter City museum's summer camp program. The researchers there told us all about the fossils that they discovered in Mt. Moon. They mentioned that some of the archeologists there were working on a theory that a majority of the Kanto mountain range was once submerged underwater a million years ago."

"They still think that." Forrest chimed in. "I go there on my spare time and some of the archeologists now believe that all of Kanto was underwater at one point."

"Wow that's really cool." Ash said.

"Are you people seriously speculating this?" Silver spoke up. "That Pokémon would always say random things like that. Sometimes its so bizarre that not even the other Pokémon would understand."

"Really? Like what?" Ash asked.

"Just before it was assigned to those two morons it started chanting; _'Red snakes in a barrel with blueberry smoke and a side of super, super hungry plants. Everyone has a friend. Everyone has a friend. Rocks are hard, Fog eats water and the sun likes baseball hats.'_ It got extremely annoying really fast and the worst part was that it was catchy. Everyone was humming it for days."

"Huh?" They were all lost for words.

"Like I said it was random things."

"This was before Jessie and James?" Brock questioned out loud. "You seem to know a lot about it and about Team Rocket. Why is that?"

"Its not by choice." Silver muttered.

"That's something we have in common, right Ash?" Brock said as he turned to Ash. "Running into Team Rocket was never on our to do list either but they would always try to steal Pikachu and the rest of our Pokémon."

"Bwahahahahahahahaha!" Silver busted out laughing. "I knew they were idiots but that is just pathetic. What's so valuable about a worthless Pikachu?"

"Grr…" Ash wanted to lash out but Brock stopped him by resting a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Unfortunately my connections with Team Rocket are not as simple." Silver said as Ash calmed down. For a brief moment Ash kind of felt sorry for him. It's not like this harsh trainer chose his linage...but still. As the fleeting moment pasted his anger remained.

* * *

Meowth soon realized that it was walking alone with Omastar. It looked back to see that the humans and their Pokémon were further behind.

"Omastar, Oma." _**(They seem to be getting along.)**_

"Not really." Meowth replied. He wasn't able to hear much of their conversation due to the acoustics in the cave. He was however, able to hear the loud laughing from Silver, which only meant that the twerps said something stupid. The last thing anyone would want is for that kid to laugh at them.

"Omastar, Omastar." _**(Can you really hear waves?)**_ It asked seeing that Meowth was still focusing on it.

"I think so. I'm not really sure though." Meowth responded shyly.

"Oma, Omastar, Omastar, Omastar, Oma, Omastar, Star, Omastar, Star, Star, Oma." _**(Hey now, I don't judge. If you do than you do. Some of the residents here remember being told stories on how our home used to be one giant ocean. I probably was told the same thing but I don't remember much when I was in my previous form.)**_ Meowth listened quietly to the evolved Pokémon's words. It's quite common with evolved Pokémon, their previous form is almost like an old life.

"Omastar, Omastar, Oma." _**(We're almost there. I can't wait to tell everyone to eat my dust.)**_

"Why?"

"Omastar, Oma, Oma, Omastar, Omastar, Star." _**(They all thought that an old Pokémon like me couldn't find a new trainer. I'm gonna knock them all out of their shells with the news.)**_

"Oh." Meowth said, it was something else that Meowth wasn't too fond of as well. Proving one's own self worth to others was always a tiring process. At the end of the day it didn't accomplish anything. That's all it ever did when it was the top cat. Working day in and day out to please everyone, to show everyone that it's worth their acceptance. Now that it is declared worthless the truth is very clear.

" _But that's okay. I know what I am and that's good enough for me."_ It thought proudly to itself. _"The only one I will ever become stronger for is me…no one else!"_

" _Oma."_ _**(This way.)**_ Omastar pointed to a wide crevice that was in the wall. Although judging by the size of it the humans might have a tough time. Omastar went through and suggested that Meowth do the same.

"Where did Omastar go?" Forrest asked as the humans finally caught up. Meowth pointed to the crevice.

"That way." It answered.

"That's a little tight." Brock noted. Meowth was able to continue walking on its hind legs just fine while Pikachu and Sneasel were able to fit through as well. The humans however had to start crawling in the cramped space. It was dark and the closed space was uncomfortably narrow. However they managed as they made it to the other side.

"This is new." Brock said.

"Really?" Forrest asked.

"Omastar, Star." _**(Just a little more this way.)**_

" _I feel like I'm trapped in one of those sea shells that have the sound of waves stuck inside them."_ Meowth thought as he followed Omastar. _"When ever I was in this area I would just assume it was coming from the river. But today it sounds real...as real as the waves in any ocean…this sound it's much louder than it was before."_

* * *

They kept on walking until they finally reached a large pit room. It was much brighter due to the opening in the ceiling. It was a very wide-open space with a waterfall that came from the opening down into the pool below. Who would have guessed that there would be a little oasis this deep inside the mountains. The waterfall was picturesque and it seemed that the roof of the cavern was reachable by walking up a ledge.

" _Maybe it was just the waterfall."_ Meowth thought but felt something inside itself urging it to walk up the ledge. Listening to the waterfall's light thunderous sound was pleasant but the urge to walk up the ledge was growing.

"This is amazing!" Brock exclaimed.

As the humans were taking it all in, Omastar crawled up to the basin's shore. Suddenly multiple Omanyte, Kabuto and a few of their evolved forms appeared out of the water.

"No way!" The humans gasped to the rare site.

"I can't believe how many there are." Brock said.

"Om, Om, Om, Omastar, Star, Omas, Oma." _**(Ha, Ha, Ha, I told you I'd find a trainer. Take a look at that.)**_ It pointed to the humans.

"Omanyte." _**(Well I'll be.)**_

"Kabu, Ka." _**(I can't believe it!)**_

"Kabutops, Ka, Ka, tops." _**(Why did you bring humans here, you senile shell bait!?)**_

"Omas, Star, Omas, Oma, Omastar." _ **(Relax, I got this cool young cat with me.)**_ It pulled Meowth to its side.

"Oma, Omastar, Star." _**(Go on tell them these humans are okay.)**_

"Huh…what?" Meowth asked as he snapped out of it due to Omastar's request.

"Ka, Kabutops." _**(Whoa…you can talk like them?)**_

"Kabuto, Ka." _**(Its kind of freaky, don't you think?)**_

"Ka, Ka, Buto." _**(Yeah it's kind of weird.)**_

"Oma, Nyte, Nyte." _**(I don't know, I think its kind of neat.)**_ The fossil Pokémon were quick to gossip about the strange phenomenon. Meowth was growing annoyed by their bickering on how they should classify him but was quickly sidetracked by the strong feeling to go up the ledge.

"Hey, Hey! What are they saying?" Forrest asked excitedly.

"Yeah I want to know too!" Ash added to the excitement. As the humans got closer to the basin a few of the fossil Pokémon fled while a few remained.

"Wait! Don't go!" Ash said. Some of the remaining Pokémon responded boldly and inched closer to him. Pikachu responded to their bravery as it hopped off of Ash's shoulder to greet them.

"Pikachu, Chu, Pika Pi, Pikachu." It reached out a paw.

"Oman, Oman!" It reached out to shake Pikachu's paw with a tentacle.

"Ka, Ka!" The Pokémon's fears faded as the ones that ran away returned. The Pokémon chatted away as the humans started to interact with the fossil Pokémon. Meanwhile Meowth started to walk away and make its way up the ledge. Silver took notice while everyone else was still distracted.

"Sneasel." He muttered under his breath. Sneasel looked up to him then to the target itself as it growled inwardly. It then smirked to itself as it went after Meowth.

* * *

As Meowth walked up further the sounds of the waterfall became distant as the mysterious sound of waves became louder. The sunlight blinded him as he made it to the rooftop. Out on top of the cave's roof Meowth was finally able to see but was quickly startled to see that he was on a large flat rock in the middle of an ocean.

"What! What! Where! Where! Where am I!?"

The sound of the waves that surrounded it continued their thunderous dance as they splashed against the rocky surface Meowth was standing on. Suddenly Meowth saw a white light shooting past him. It looked like a shooting star. But it seemed bigger, like a comet. It was bigger than any shooting star Meowth has seen before, plus it was daylight. Meowth walked to the edge then looked on ahead to where the shooting star went. A light twinkled in the distance.

" _Is that a tower?"_ Meowth questioned.

He couldn't make it out. It was tall but the heavy fog covering the horizon made it difficult to distinguish what it was exactly. The waves however were starting to grow bigger. They thrashed violently against the land Meowth was standing on. The large violent waves kept on coming one after another. One large wave seemed as if it was going to carry out the final blow. It was monstrous, it looked evil as if something giant was swimming inside. Meowth ducked and prepared to hold his breath but the wave never came. Meowth only felt the cold water splash against the side of his body as he heard the wave crash down next to him. More waves followed suit. They all avoided Meowth as they carried on without bringing him any harm.

 _ **(Waves are coming.)**_ He heard the strange haunting voice. He heard it before, soothing yet unnerving as he listened to the voice that sounded like a collection of monotone childlike voices in one.

 _ **(They're coming.)**_ It almost sounded like it was singing.

 _ **(Waves are coming, coming. The waves are coming. They're coming.)**_ As the strange voice continued its haunting song over the thunderous waves Meowth felt a wave thrash against him with full force as the cold water took him under.

* * *

Struggling in the tough currents, Meowth finally found the way to the surface for air. Meowth thought that he had to swim but then realized that the water he was in wasn't deep at all. He was able to stand with the water reaching his waist. He was no longer in the middle of an ocean. He looked around and saw that he was in fact in the low tide river that ends up being a waterfall down below where all the fossil Pokémon are located. Meowth stood up and begrudgingly looked at his wet fur.

"I was just getting dry too!"

"Sne, Sne, Sne, Sneasel." _**(Ha, Ha, Ha, You're to easy!)**_ Meowth turned to see that the culprit for pushing him was none other than that darn Sneasel.

"Why you! I could have drowned!" Meowth shouted.

"Sneasel, Sneas, Sneas." _**(So...its called having a little fun.)**_ Sneasel cracked its claws. "Sneasel, Sneasel, Sneas, Sneas." _**(Now that I've warmed up its time to pick up where we left off.)**_

It jumped high in the air as it came down to hit Meowth. Sneasel was fast, it was like lighting speed as it landed right in front of Meowth only to disappear from his sights. Out of nowhere Sneasel attacked Meowth from behind as Sneasel used feint attack to push him face down in the water again. Meowth picked himself up quickly and aimed to get out of the water. However Sneasel fired ice shards as a warning.

"Sneasel, Sneasel." _**(I'm not finished yet you freak of nature!)**_ It came charging again, at lighting speed Sneasel was right in front of him and used its feint attack again.

Wet and now with an aching body from all the blows Meowth was starting to get mad. Sneasel came at him again but this time Meowth fought back as he blinded Sneasel with a good old fashion flash. Meowth jumped onto a boulder that was in the middle of the violent currents of the river.

* * *

Silver quietly watched Ash and the gang from afar. They were playing with the Pokémon and Brock decided to bring out his homemade Pokémon food to share. Suddenly the once picturesque waterfall started to look aggressive as the water started to pour down into the basin much more viciously. He smirked at the results as he pulled out his hand held camera.

* * *

"Sneas, Sneasel." _**(That cheap trick again!?)**_

"It's super effective!" Meowth shouted jokingly with a hint of sarcasm.

"Sneasel, Sneasel, Sne, Sne, Sneas, Sneasel, Sneasel, Sne, Sneas, Sneasel." _**(You're no Rocketeer, you're just a washed up has been using the same old tricks with nothing to show for it. You're beyond worthless compared to me.)**_

"Don't blame me just because you didn't make the cut."

Sneasel charged after him again but Meowth was not in the mood to get beat up again as he dodged effortlessly. Again Sneasel charged at lighting speed. Meowth made a hunch that it was going to use its feint attack again. Sneasel jumped high in the air and so did Meowth, which surprised Sneasel a bit but didn't change its tactics. It disappeared. Meowth landed back down and just as he did, Sneasel aimed to hit him from behind but Meowth quickly turned the tables on it. Meowth countered by slashing Sneasel with his own set of claws. It was like a punch to the face as Sneasel fell backwards. Getting back up and out of the dangerous water Sneasel saw the puny Meowth standing tall as he showed that he stole something from it. Meowth waved the razor claw that was sealed in a small glass jar.

"I knew it. It was practically unbelievable for you to be too good against the twerp's Pikachu. And here you are trying to blame me when you have become a pet through and through."

"Sneas, Sneasel." _**(Give that back!)**_

"So you do want to evolve?"

"Sneasel, Sneasel, Sne, Sneas, Sneas." _**(That's none of your business!)**_

"You're such a pet." Meowth said as if Sneasel was a creature beneath him.

"Sneas, Sneasel, Sne, Sneasel, Sne, Sneasel Sneas, Sel, Sneasel, Sel, Sn, Sne, Sneasel." _**(Takes one to know one you freak of nature! If you couldn't speak human you would have been shipped off along with all the other worthless cargo!)**_ The water thrashed violently at such insults.

"Me a pet?" The words came out as if tar was stuck in his mouth.

"Sneasel." _**(Give it back you freak!)**_ Sneasel lunged at Meowth. He jumped out of the way and then landed on the rock that was in the middle of the thrashing waves of the river.

"I have a better idea!" With that said Meowth threw the tiny jar over the hilltop never to been seen again. Sneasel lunged at Meowth and pushed him down, but Meowth grabbed onto Sneasel as they both went underwater. They were both pushed violently due to the currents. Down they went as the water led them back to where they came.

* * *

 *****Splash*****

A loud splash was heard as everyone turned to take in the roaring waterfall. Within seconds the two Pokémon jumped out of the water onto opposite sides of the basin.

"What's going on here!?" Brock shouted.

Meowth was panting heavily as he saw Sneasel lunge forward. Meowth dodged as he jumped high out of the way. He then proceeded to use the small ledges that have been formed by the cave's rocky surroundings. The two continued to clash. Claws grinded, as Meowth would block the attacks. Meowth pushed Sneasel back then jumped higher to reach the full walking ledge for more flexibility verses the tiny ledges that the cave provided.

"Whoa that was really fast!" Forrest said astoundingly.

" _Do it Sneasel!"_ Silver demanded as Sneasel fired an ice shard attack. Meowth responded by deflecting the sharp shards as his claws shredded them all.

" _It's really fighting."_ Ash thought due to the amazing sight.

" _I've had it with you!"_ Meowth thought viciously.

"Sneas." _**(Fight me!)**_ It demanded as it jumped from its side of the cavern. Meowth obliged as he to jumped from his perch to meet it half way.

" _I have enough energy for one attack."_ Meowth thought as his claws grew larger and started to glow. They were heading for a collusion in mid air as Sneasel quickly disappeared to perform its feint attack but as Sneasel reappeared Meowth was waiting for it. Meowth grabs Sneasel by its paw to hold it down for his own attack. It will be the final blow. He will hit hard enough so it crashes into the ground. Suddenly a hydro pump came from the old fossil Pokémon, separating the two Pokémon. They both quickly pushed off of each other to make it back to their respective side of the basin.

"What was that for!?" Meowth screamed annoyed by the sudden interference.

"Omastar, Omastar, Oma, Oma, Omastar, Star." _**(I honestly didn't expect such a wonderful show. But it was getting too noisy.)**_ That answer wasn't satisfying at all but Meowth became sidetracked due to the fact that he was soaking wet again.

" _Am I always going to be this wet today!?"_ He squeezed the water out of his tail.

"Sneasel return." Silver called back his Pokémon. He looked at its ultra ball.

"Good work." He muttered then observed the calm waterfall. He smirked slightly to himself as he closed his camcorder before putting it away. He then eyed the Pokémon that was slowly making its way towards him.

Squeezing the water out of his whiskers as he made his way to Silver, Meowth was confronted by another annoyance.

"Meowth!" It heard the twerp shout out as he and his friends ran up to it.

"Ugh! Now what?" Meowth whined.

"That was amazing! I bet that Sneasel is you rival, isn't it?" Stars of amazement were dancing in his eyes as he exclaimed.

"We're not rivals!" Meowth snapped.

"Oh yes you are!" Ash cheered, "I know a rival when I see one."

"That battle certainly did seem like you two are rivals. Impressive." Brock said, "I've got to say it seemed like you knew how to do that all along."

"I'm sure you did. You sly Pokémon you, I bet,"

"ENOUGH!" Meowth shouted furiously. Listening to the twerp any longer was nauseating.

"We're not friends remember?" Meowth eyed Pikachu briefly as it continued on with its never-ending glare towards him while sitting on the twerp's shoulder.

" _I will prove it!"_ Meowth thought as he clenched his paws. Ready to leave this place Meowth sees something moving in the ground near Silver's feet. Suddenly, an Anorith pops out of the ground.

"An Anorith?" Silver said out loud as everyone turned to see the new Pokémon.

"Anorith, Anor." _ **(Oh so you did find humans.)**_ It said admiringly.

"Oma, Omastar, Omastar." _**(Yep I got myself a new one right here.)**_ Omastar pointed to Forrest proudly.

"Anor, Anorith, Anor." _**(Oh my, this one looks edgy.)**_

"Oma, Oma." _**(Yes he does.)**_

"Anor, Anorith, Anorith." _**(I like edgy! I want him! I want him!)**_

"Star, "Omastar, Star." _**(Congratulations! You got yourself a human.)**_

"Ka, Ka!" "Oma, Oma!" The crowd of fossil Pokémon cheered.

" _These Pokémon are nuts!"_ Meowth thought as Anorith crawled up Silver's leg.

"What's it doing?"

"It likes you for some strange reason. It wants to go with you." Silver grabbed an empty ultra ball and the Anorith went in willingly. It was done and the Anorith was captured. Within a fleeting moment, Meowth saw him. The warmth of a small smile appeared for a few seconds before returning to a stoic expression. As big of a jerk he is, his smile was true.

He then turned to Meowth, "A deal's a deal."

"Really?"

"I'll consider today as a belated birthday present." Meowth was surprised by his sudden generosity seeing that it didn't really do anything but Meowth was happy nonetheless to hear that it was free.

 _"We got to get out of here before he changes his mind."_

"Hold it!" Ash demanded. "That Pokémon…what are you going to do with it?"

"What kind of stupid question is that? I'm going to use it of course…that is if it meets my standards."

"What about Team Rocket?" Ash asked.

"What about them? I could care less about those fools. I do things my way." He stated proudly then looked at Meowth.

"Let's go." He ordered as he started to walk away.

"Omastar, Star." _**(You're leaving already?)**_ The old Omastar questioned as Meowth turned to acknowledge it.

"Omastar." _**(About those waves,)**_ Meowth quickly stopped it for he didn't want to relive such an uncomfortable moment.

"I was wrong. It must have been the waterfall." It said through a fake smile.

"That makes sense but that's still impressive." Brock complimented, "You were able to hear it once we entered the cave."

"Uh…yeah, sure, whatever." Meowth brushed it off quickly as it tried to make its exit.

"Omastar." _**(Hold on there.)**_ The old Pokémon said as it grabbed Meowth's paw with one of its blue tentacles.

"Oma, Omastar." _**(I think you should have this.)**_ It then pulled out a strange rectangular flat rock out of its shell.

"That's a fossil!" Brock exclaimed while Meowth looked at the old relic, confused as to why he was to be handed such a thing.

"Omastar, Oma, Oma, Omastar, Star, Omas, Omas, Omastar, Star, Omastar, Star, Star." _**(Many of the residents here have been told the same stories that have been passed down**_ _ **from generation to generation. My memories of those stories have dwindled but my heart knows that this will always be my home. The ocean that was once grand and alive maybe gone but its spirit still remains. I will never forget that. I want you to take this. Consider it as a token that you're always welcomed here.)**_ Meowth was taken back. He didn't know what to do at first but decided to reach out to take the unique gift. Upon touching the cold stone, it suddenly felt different. It felt scaly as the grey fossil flashed to blue as the vision of the violent waves flashed before Meowth's eyes. He pulled back his paw quickly as if the fossil shocked him.

"What's wrong?" Forrest asked as Meowth quickly recovered from such an encounter. Meowth reached out once more to take the fossil.

 *****Throump*****

A loud thunderous sound pounded against the rock walls from above. The scratch cat Pokémon restrained itself from taking the fossil once more as its ears started to twitch while it looked around.

" _This sound..."_

"Aren't you going to take it?" Brock questioned. Meowth snapped out of it as he noticed that no one else seemed to take note of what may be happening above them.

"No." It mumbled as it looked back in the direction Silver was heading.

"I've got to go!" It said as it turned on its heels to rush out of there.

"Hey wait!" Ash hollered.

"What a strange day." Brock noted. "I've never imagined that I would see Meowth wandering around without those two somewhere nearby. Where do you think they could be?"

"I don't know but it probably came with him on its own again."

"Again?"

"I ran into them when I was on Cinnabar Island and I found out that he's actually the Team Rocket boss's kid."

"That explains some things."

"We should go tell the league." Forrest said.

"Hold on there Forrest. No one has the ability to choose his or her family. It seems to me that he's just trying to live his own life. I say give him a chance he might surprise us."

"A jerk like that doesn't deserve any!" Ash declared, "I will beat him." "Pikachu!"

"Ash, I can't help but think there's something else you're not telling me." Ash turned to his most trusted friend. As much as he knew that it would be going against Hitoshi's wishes he just has to tell someone.

"There is…"

* * *

"The tunnel entrance is that way." Meowth pointed out the obvious as Silver ignored it.

"I want to go this way." He stated, he then stopped to look at the small scratch cat. "What was that move earlier?"

"What?"

"I have an idea on what you were about to do, so what was it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Meowth stated defensively. "I can't learn any moves because I can talk."

Silver glared at it before smirking slightly and relaxing his facial expression. "I prefer the longer way home." He said as he continued to walk forward.

"Oh," Meowth paused. "Okay." They walked quietly together.

"He might not be there once we get back." Silver suggested as Meowth looked up to him curiously who in turn was focused on the road ahead of them.

"That's a good point but they gave him a key." Meowth said sadly. They both continued their long journey home in silence with only the sounds of water from the near by river splashing gently against its boulders.

* * *

Author Notes:

The chant:

Hopefully your imagination didn't have Silver chanting it for that's so not his style. But the chant itself follows the typical beat you would hear on a playground for jump rope songs. For example, "Cinderella's dress" jump rope chant's beat was the inspiration...although I don't remember the words to it anymore just the rhythm.

Singing childlike voices:

What comes to mind for me are school choirs mixed with old disney music from movies such as Bambi. Sounds pretty but can leave one feeling uneasy when it's done in odd settings.

In the games:

According the games Brock would collect/look for fossils in Mt. Moon on his spare time. Also in the games he had an Omastar. I was originally going to have Brock capture the Omastar but decided to change it to Forrest since Forrest is not well known or kept up with in the anime.

Pikachu moves:

Once again I don't watch the show anymore I just research to keep the story as close to the source material as possible, despite the heavy fanfic additions. So according to the glorious sites I knew that Pikachu knew Electro ball, hence its used in this chapter. However, I just found out it doesn't know that move anymore and I looked at the websites to double check. This situation and probably future situations to come were the reasons why I held onto this story for so long. I didn't want to share a story for a story that is still ongoing. But it is what it is and I didn't feel like changing this battle scene but I will most likely stop using Electro ball in future battles with Pikachu.


End file.
